Every now and then, I get a craving for something sweet, and today, it was Portuguese egg tarts. My dad and I were chatting about our family trips to Macau, and naturally, we started talking about the tarts we used to enjoy at Lord Stow’s bakery. Just thinking about them brought back some lovely memories.
Pastéis de Nata, as they’re called in Portuguese, have a flaky, golden pastry shell filled with creamy custard. They’re simple, but when they’re done well, they’re hard to resist.
After our conversation, I found myself wanting to make some at home. I knew they might not taste exactly like the ones we remembered from Macau, but I thought I’d give them a try, and honestly, when a craving hits, sometimes making your own is just what you need!
A Little History Behind Portuguese Egg Tarts
Pastéis de Nata have their roots in Portugal, where monks at the Jerónimos Monastery in Belém, near Lisbon, are believed to have created the original recipe before the 19th century. Back then, egg whites were often used to starch clothes, leaving plenty of egg yolks behind. These yolks were put to good use in Portuguese baking, including custard pastries.
When religious orders were dissolved in Portugal in the 19th century, the monks eventually sold their recipe. In 1837, the Fábrica de Pastéis de Belém began selling the tarts, and it’s still known for them today.
Over time, Portuguese custard tarts became popular far beyond Portugal, including in Macau, where they became a familiar treat in local bakeries. That’s part of what makes them so memorable for me. They have a long history, but for our family, they’re also tied to the memories of our trips to Macau.
What Sets Portuguese Tarts Apart
What I love about Portuguese egg tarts is the contrast between the pastry and the custard. The pastry is made up of thin, flaky layers, while the filling is smooth and creamy. The tops are usually baked at a high temperature, giving the custard those lovely golden-brown patches. That slight caramelization adds a deeper flavour that goes so well with the creamy filling and crisp pastry.
They’re best enjoyed while the pastry is still crisp and the custard is soft. It’s easy to see why these little tarts have become a favourite in bakeries around the world.
Baking Portuguese Tarts at Home
If you’ve ever wanted to make Portuguese egg tarts at home, they’re definitely worth trying. There are a few steps involved, especially when it comes to making the pastry and custard, but once you get the hang of it, the process becomes easier. I’m still working on getting mine just right, but that’s part of the fun of baking at home.
The custard is made with a few basic ingredients: sugar syrup, a milk-and-flour mixture, and egg yolks. Depending on the recipe, you can flavour the syrup with cinnamon, lemon peel, or vanilla. Once the syrup and milk mixture have cooled slightly, the egg yolks are whisked in. Straining the custard before filling the pastry shells helps give it a smooth texture.
The pastry needs some time to chill, too. Leaving it in the fridge overnight helps firm up the butter and makes the dough easier to handle. It can also help the pastry hold its shape during baking. If you’re short on time, a shorter chill of 30 minutes to an hour may still help, although the results will depend on the recipe and how the pastry is made.
There’s something satisfying about pulling a tray of freshly baked egg tarts out of the oven, especially when the tops have those lovely golden-brown patches. The smell alone is enough to make you want to try one straight away! The batch I made today didn’t last long. My kids and their friends devoured the tarts after school. 😅 I guess that was a pretty good sign that they enjoyed them!
A Taste That Takes Me Back to Macau
My love for Portuguese egg tarts goes back to our family trips to Macau. I still remember enjoying them from Lord Stow’s Bakery, and those memories came back when my dad and I were chatting about our trips recently. That’s what made me want to try baking them at home. I wanted to see if I could recreate some of the flavours we remembered, even if my homemade version wasn’t quite the same as the original. Now, whenever I make these tarts, I think about those trips and the time we spent together as a family. And seeing my own kids enjoy a batch fresh from the oven gives me another reason to keep making them.
Lord Stow’s Bakery in Macau
If you’ve ever been to Macau, you may have heard of Lord Stow’s Bakery and its famous Portuguese egg tarts. The bakery was opened in 1989 by Andrew Stow, an English pharmacist who turned to baking. He developed his own take on the Portuguese custard tart, and it soon became a favourite with locals and visitors alike.
Lord Stow’s has since become closely associated with Portuguese egg tarts in Macau, helping make them one of the treats many people look forward to trying when they visit. Whenever my family and I travel to Macau, we always try to make time for Lord Stow’s Bakery. It’s become part of our trips, and we often find ourselves thinking about those tarts long after we’ve returned home. That’s what came to mind when my dad and I were talking about Macau recently, and it was what inspired me to make a batch at home.
Of course, my homemade version may not be quite the same as the original, but it brought back some lovely memories, and now that my kids enjoy them, too, I have another reason to keep making them.
How To Make Them
Ingredients:
For the Sugar Syrup:
- 2/3 cup water
- 1 & 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cinnamon stick
For the Custard Filling:
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2-3 tsp lemon zest
Stovetop Instructions:
- Prepare the Pastry:
- Roll out your puff pastry (whether made from scratch or store bought) on a lightly floured surface until it’s about 1/8 inch thick.
- Cut the pastry into equal-sized squares (about 3×3 inches) and press each square into the cups of a muffin tin, shaping the pastry to form tart shells. Place the tin in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling.
- Prepare the Sugar Syrup:
- In a small saucepan, combine water, sugar and cinnamon stick. Heat over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved. Simmer for a few minutes until it thickens slightly into a syrup. Remove from heat.
- Make the Custard Filling:
- In a saucepan, combine the heavy cream, milk and lemon zest. Heat over medium heat until hot but not boiling. Remove from heat, cover, and let it steep for about 15-20 minutes to infuse flavours. Then, remove the cinnamon stick and lemon zest.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together sugar, flour, egg yolks, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Slowly pour the warm milk mixture into the egg mixture, whisking constantly to avoid curdling.
- Pour the custard mixture back into the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring continuously until the mixture thickens (it should coat the back of a spoon). Remove from heat and strain through a sieve. Let it cool slightly.
- Assemble and Bake:
- Preheat your oven to 500°F (260°C)
- Fill each pastry shell with the slightly cooled custard filling, filling them about 3/4 full.
- Drizzle a small amount of the sugar syrup over the top of each tart.
- Bake:
- Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and the custard has a lovely caramelized top.
- Remove from the oven and let the tarts cool for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Serve and Enjoy:
- Dust the cooled tarts with powdered sugar and cinnamon before serving, if desired.
- Enjoy your homemade Portuguese Custard Tarts with a cup of tea or coffee!
Thermomix Instructions:
Prepare the Pastry:
- Roll out Pastry: Place your puff pastry on a lightly floured surface. Use a rolling pin to roll it out until it’s about 1/8 inch thick.
- Cut and Shape: Cut the pastry into equal-sized squares (about 3×3 inches). Press each square into the cups of a muffin tin, shaping the pastry into tart shells. Place the tin in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling.
Prepare the Sugar Syrup:
- Combine Ingredients: In the Thermomix bowl, combine water, sugar, and a cinnamon stick. Heat at 100°C for 3 minutes on speed 2, or until the sugar is completely dissolved. Then, simmer for a few more minutes until it thickens slightly into a syrup. Remove from heat.