eggsmilklemon
Portuguese Custard Tarts
Portuguese-style custard tarts with homemade laminated puff pastry and a silky vanilla custard flavoured with lemon and cinnamon.
From YouTube · Dec 6, 2025
Portuguese-style custard tarts with homemade laminated puff pastry and a silky vanilla custard flavoured with lemon and cinnamon.
45 min
Prep time
20 min
Cook time
3 hrs 25 min, including chilling and cooling
Total time
12 custard tarts
Yield
Ingredients
19 ingredients- 80 g firm unsalted butter, thinly sliced, for laminating
- 150 g all-purpose flour, plus a small amount for dusting
- 3 g granulated sugar (approximately 3/4 teaspoon)
- 2 g fine salt (approximately 1/2 teaspoon)
- 60 g frozen unsalted butter
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional
- Approximately 60 ml ice-cold water
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
- 135 g white granulated sugar (approximately 2/3 cup)
- 50 ml water (approximately 1/4 cup)
- 1 cinnamon stick
- Several strips lemon peel
- 30 g all-purpose flour (approximately 1/4 cup)
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 240 ml whole milk (approximately 1 cup)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 4 large egg yolks
- Ground cinnamon, for serving, optional
- Icing sugar, for serving, optional
Method
24 steps- Arrange the 80 g sliced firm butter between sheets of parchment paper. Fold the paper into an approximately 12 × 14 cm rectangle and roll the butter into an even sheet. Refrigerate until firm but not frozen.
- Mix 150 g flour with 3 g sugar and 2 g salt.
- Work the 60 g frozen butter into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture has a sandy texture.
- Add the optional 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, followed by approximately 60 ml ice-cold water a little at a time. Gently bring the mixture together into a soft dough without over-kneading.
- Wrap the dough and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Roll the chilled dough into a rectangle large enough to enclose the chilled butter sheet. Place the butter in the centre, fold the dough over it and seal the edges. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- With the seam facing upward, roll the dough into a rectangle. Fold both ends into the centre, brush away excess flour, then fold one half over the other to make a book fold. Wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Roll the dough into another rectangle. Fold one end over by two-thirds and fold the other end over it to make a letter fold. Brush away excess flour, wrap and refrigerate for another 30 minutes.
- Roll the dough into a rectangle once more. Fold one end approximately three-quarters of the way across, cover it with the other end, flatten gently and fold again. Wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Roll the chilled pastry into a thin rectangle. Brush it lightly with the tablespoon of melted butter.
- Cut the pastry rectangle in half for easier handling. Roll each half tightly into a log, wrap and refrigerate while preparing the custard.
- Combine 135 g sugar, 50 ml water, the cinnamon stick and lemon peel in a saucepan. Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Once bubbling, heat the syrup to 220°F or approximately 104°C, then remove it from the heat.
- In a separate saucepan, whisk together 30 g flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Gradually whisk in the whole milk until completely smooth.
- Cook the milk mixture over medium heat, whisking continuously, until it thickens to a smooth custard-base consistency.
- Remove the cinnamon stick and lemon peel from the syrup. Slowly stream the hot syrup into the thickened milk mixture while whisking vigorously.
- Whisk in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Let the mixture cool until it is no longer hot enough to cook the eggs.
- Add the four egg yolks one at a time, whisking continuously until the custard is smooth. Strain through a fine sieve if any lumps remain.
- Cut the chilled pastry logs into approximately 2 cm pieces. Place one piece, cut-side up, into each of 12 individual tart moulds or the wells of a muffin tin.
- Press each pastry piece into a thin layer across the base and up the sides of its mould. Refrigerate the lined moulds for 10 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F or approximately 230°C.
- Divide the custard among the chilled pastry shells without filling them completely to the top.
- Bake for approximately 20 minutes, until the pastry is deeply golden and the custard has characteristic dark blistered spots.
- Allow the tarts to settle and cool briefly in their moulds before removing them.
- Serve warm or at room temperature with an optional light dusting of cinnamon and icing sugar.
Recipe notes
Helpful tips
- Keep the pastry and butter cold throughout lamination, but do not freeze the butter sheet because frozen butter can crack while rolling.
- Brush away excess bench flour before every fold so the pastry layers adhere properly.
- Add only enough ice water to bring the dough together; the precise amount may vary slightly with the flour.
- Allow the custard base to cool before adding the egg yolks so they do not scramble.
- Strain the custard if necessary to obtain a completely smooth filling.
- Chilling the shaped tart shells helps the pastry retain its layers in the hot oven.
- Do not overfill the shells because the custard expands during baking.
Equipment
- Digital kitchen scale
- Measuring spoons
- Parchment paper
- Rolling pin
- Pastry brush
- Plastic wrap
- Two saucepans
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Digital thermometer
- Fine-mesh sieve
- 12 individual tart moulds or a 12-well muffin tin
Storage
For the best texture, reheat refrigerated tarts in a 180°C oven for approximately 5–8 minutes. Avoid microwaving because it softens the laminated pastry.
Additional tips
- Contains wheat, gluten, milk and egg. The sugar syrup and custard become extremely hot; stream the syrup carefully while whisking. Verify that the tart moulds are suitable for a 450°F/230°C oven.
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