Pastéis de Nata

Method

1. Turn the oven to its highest setting (250–290 °C, top and bottom heat) at least 30 minutes ahead and put a shelf in the upper third. Brush the cups of a muffin tin with the softened butter; only butter as many cups as you will fill.

   Add in this stepButter (for the tin) 8 g

2. Unroll the pastry and roll it up tightly from a short side into a firm log. Cut it into 6 slices about 2 cm thick. Stand each slice spiral side up in a cup, dip your thumbs in cold water and press from the centre outwards and up the sides until the base is about 2 mm thick and the pastry rises just above the rim. Chill the tin for 15 min; cold pastry bakes into crisp layers.

   Add in this stepPuff pastry (ready-rolled sheet) 160 g

3. Put the sugar, water, cinnamon stick and lemon peel in a small 14 cm pan and boil on medium-high heat for 3 min without stirring, until the sugar has dissolved and the syrup has thickened slightly (103 °C if you have a thermometer). Take it off the heat. Hot syrup causes serious burns, so keep children away.

   Add in this stepSugar 100 gWater 60 mlCinnamon stick 1Strips of lemon peel (no white pith) 1

   medium-high heat

4. In a second small pan, whisk the flour with about a quarter of the cold milk until completely smooth, then whisk in the rest of the milk. Cook on medium heat for 2 min, whisking constantly and scraping the bottom, until it thickens to the texture of a thin custard.

   Add in this stepWhole milk 130 mlPlain flour 13 g

   medium heat

5. Fish out the cinnamon and lemon peel, then pour the syrup into the milk mixture in a thin stream, whisking all the time. Leave it to cool for 10 min, stirring now and then, until it feels just warm (about 50 °C); any hotter and it will scramble the yolks.

6. Whisk in the egg yolks until smooth, then pour the custard through a fine sieve into a jug so it bakes up silky.

   Add in this stepEgg yolks 3

7. Fill each pastry case three-quarters full. Bake on the upper shelf of the oven, preheated to 250 °C, for 13 min, until the pastry is deep golden and crisp and the custard has puffed up with dark, blistered spots. If your oven can't get hot enough for spots, switch on the grill for the last 1–2 minutes and watch closely.

   oven

8. Leave the tarts in the tin for 5 minutes (the custard is boiling hot), then lift them out with a small knife and cool on a rack for at least 15 minutes so the custard sets. Serve warm, dusted with cinnamon and icing sugar.

   Add in this stepGround cinnamon to tasteIcing sugar to taste