Portugese pasteis de nata,delicious custard tarts

[Gifted Gourmet]

article from the Christian Science Monitor

LISBON, PORTUGAL – You'd have a better chance of outlawing wine in Paris than of separating the Lisboans from their beloved pasteis de nata, delicious custard tarts that can be consumed in two or three bites.

Particularly revered are those made from a mysterious secret recipe at the Pasteis de Belem, a bakery and coffeehouse in the southwest section of the city. Here, the little tarts are spoken of in hushed tones. Rightfully so, because the recipe goes back almost 200 years to the nuns who baked the pastries at the nearby Jeronimos Monastery.

This was such a lovely little article on the pastries and their origin in Portugal .. had to share with you ... has anyone made these themselves? if so, will you share the recipe? please?

When I merely mentioned the words pasteis de Belem to a taxi driver he looked skyward and thumped his chest. A translation wasn't necessary.

[fredbram]

We had some discussion about just these pastries on this Pastry Forum Thread.

The upshot seems to be that they are not easy to make, in Portugal no-one makes them because they can buy them, and we are waiting for David Leite to publish his research on them.

They are quite unique and delicious.

Edited August 12, 2004 by fredbram (log)

[docsconz]

I'll have to keep my eyes open for them in October.

[Franci]

me and the girls from my cooking club-including my friend from Lisbon- made them one time.

I think they were not bad. Not as good as the the one from Belem, but not bad.

Do you need the recipe? It will take me a little bit to translate...

[kitwilliams]

me and the girls from my cooking club-including my friend from Lisbon- made them one time.

I think they were not bad.  Not as good as the the one from Belem, but not bad.

Do you need the recipe? It will take me a little bit to translate...

I'd truly appreciate it, Franci, if you could have a go at translating your recipe and posting it here!

I tried the recipe in Home Baking recently (a visually beautiful book with recipes for traditional home baked goods from around the world -- I've only tried a couple of recipes but the Ukrainian Honey Cake is quite yummy) but the custard for the Pasteis de Nata was far, far, far too stiff.

[Gifted Gourmet]

from Leite's Culinaria .. possibly this?

[wesza]

Melissa:

Thank you for the interesting article.

I became interested in the "Egg Custard Tart's" prior to opening a Portuguese Restaurant in Honolulu, when learning about the origins of Dim Sim" Steamed Nut and Honey Cake", "Curried Puff's" and most interesting of all the "Egg Tart" featured in every Chinese Restaurant serving Dim Sim.

In Hong Kong they are attributed to Macau, In China they are generously willing to acknowledge that they came from the Catholic's [Church, Nun's Priests?]

We actually had someone who was returning back from Portugal bring back a Carton of several dozen Tarts from, "Belem's Bakery" where we compared them from Tarts we purchased from the two Portuguese Bakery's in Hong Kong and various well known Restaurants.

There was quite a bit of similarity, but the filling in the Belems Tarts was better. The Pastry was almost the same, even though the Fat used in making the tarts in Hong Kong with 2 exceptions was Lard. The 2 exceptions mixed some Danish Butter with the Lard, but all the Tarts were crispy flaky and delicious. I understand that the Egg Tarts are popular in Japan, but haven't tried them there, even though the Japanese word for Bread, "Pan" and "Tempura" are both Portuguese. The Egg's preferred for Tart Making in Hong Kong are Duck Eggs as they feel that the taste and color are superior to Chicken Eggs.

What's surprising to me is that I've never had a "Egg Tart", that didn't taste better then almost every other pastry no matter where I've eaten them.

Irwin

[Gifted Gourmet]

Melissa:

Thank you for the interesting article.

We actually had someone who was returning back from Portugal bring back a Carton of several dozen Tarts from, "Belem's Bakery" where we compared them from Tarts we purchased from the two Portuguese Bakery's in Hong Kong and various well known Restaurants.

There was quite a bit of similarity, but the filling in the Belems Tarts was better.

The pleasure is all mine in locating some of these articles, Irwin! I have been to Lisbon many years ago but don't recall the egg tarts ... I know that they enjoy a reputation of being world reknowned. And one day, I may even try my hand at making them with Leite's recipe! Thanks for your great post!

[docsconz]

Thanks for the link to Pasteis de Belem. That is a pretty cool website even if I can't understand Portuguese very well.

[Gifted Gourmet]

Thanks for the link to Pasteis de Belem. That is a pretty cool website even if I can't understand Portuguese very well.

Looks like you have until October, docsconz, to do a little Berlitzing ... but we fully expect you to come home to eG with a full report on your adventures in Portugal .. foodwise and otherwise!

And you get extra bonus points if you single out these pastries for a full description!

[docsconz]

And you get extra bonus points if you single out these pastries for a full description!

What more incentive do I need!

[Gifted Gourmet]

And you get extra bonus points if you single out these pastries for a full description!

What more incentive do I need!

None because being proficient in Portugese is a blessing in disguise .. just ask Teresa Heinz Kerry ..

Actually hoping we'll read a lovely, delicious report on your dining on this trip .... Not enough food writing here is done on Portugal .... although, basically, Bux has the Iberian Peninsula well in hand ...

[kerriar]

The last time I was in Lisbon, when a stop off in Belem to try the tarts was suggested, a French woman in the group threw her eyes to heaven saying "aaah, les bombes calorifiques". Every Portuguese bakery in the world makes a version, but these are simply the best and are worth going to the source if nearby.

Slightly lower in calories, but not much, are the delicious Ameixas D'Elvas. These are sugar coated plums supposedly made only by an enclosed order of nuns somewhere in Portugal. I'm not sure if this story about the nuns is true or just a good marketing line - in any event, these things are delicious. The sugary coated surface is cut by the slight bitterness of the plums (which are a bit like greengages) and are a pleasant way to end a dinner party if served with coffee instead of more predictable petites fours.

They are hard to source unless you live near a Portuguese shop and are rather expensive - I seem to recall about €25 to €30 for a stylish box containing about 12 or 16 individually wrapped fruits. Perhaps they are cheaper in Portugal - anybody else tried them?

[vserna]

I'm not sure if this story about the nuns is true or just a good marketing line

It's true. Spain and Portugal are (still) rich in convents where the nuns specialize in some traditional sweets - which in turn provide them with much-needed funds.

[tsquare]

I was looking at my photos last night - a similar picture of the bakery serves to me remind me...

[chromedome]

I made the recipe from Leite's Culinaria for my International Lab at cooking school. They were the hit of the day, hands down.

My biggest memory of the day, though, was watching my classmate Abe (who keeps kosher) cook the day's best take on pork and clam stew without tasting it even once. He went by judgement and smell alone, the culinary equivalent of sailing a boat by dead reckoning. The man's got talent!

[Chloe]

Obviously at home it's easier to make pastéis de Belém with a simple pastry, but I would just like to describe how they are traditionally made. The pastry used is puff pastry, but the technique for lining the moulds is curious. The whole sheet of pastry is rolled up and then sliced on the round. The little disks (like slices of swiss roll) are then gently pressed into each mould so that the final effect on the cooked pastry shows both the layers of the puff pastry and the spiral of the slices.

I can't find any pictures on the internet, but I can send scanned images to anybody who PMs me!

Chloe

Ponte de Lima

[docsconz]

I can't find any pictures on the internet, but I can send scanned images to anybody who PMs me!

Chloe

Ponte de Lima

Have you tried uploading the photos to imageGullet? The photos need to be scaled to a certain size (I believe 640x480) at which point it is easy. I would love to see them.

[Chloe]

I should have said "... scanned images from a relatively recently published book" which I wouldn't really be too happy about posting openly. Or would it be acceptable if I gave the publication details?

Chloe

Ponte de Lima

[Bux]

I should have said "... scanned images from a relatively recently published book" which I wouldn't really be too happy about posting openly. Or would it be acceptable if I gave the publication details?

Not without the written permission of the publisher. Your instincts are good on this. Our policy regarding other people's intellectual property is here.

[docsconz]

I should have said "... scanned images from a relatively recently published book" which I wouldn't really be too happy about posting openly. Or would it be acceptable if I gave the publication details?

Chloe

Ponte de Lima

Which book? If anyone is inclined to by the book you could earn money for eGullet by setting up a link to the book via amazon.com. Here are the directions for how to do this.

[Franci]

I am sorry I took so long!!!

I think my pastry instructor, looking a me and my friends, would have start yelling, maybe our method is a little unorthodox, but my friends who are from Lisbon liked it.

The recipe come from culinarias.net.

The traslation is mine, sorry for mistakes

Puff pastry

6 yolks

2.5 dl water

0.5 kg sugar

1 cinnamon stick

Lemon zest

½ liter milk

flour

Roll the puff pastry into a rectangle, then it should rolled up into a log, then cut into rounds of about 2.5 cm in diameter and 1.5 cm thick. Butter the molds, and drop in each mold a round, with the cut facing down (of course). With wet hands try to spread the pastry evenly on the bottom and on the sides. At the top it should be thicker, in order to have nice layers, instead the bottom and sides should be very thin, so that the shell can cook quickly without having the cream to boil.

In a bowl dissolve 60 g flour in a little bit of cold milk. Bring to boil the rest of the milk with the cinnamon and the lemon zest. Add in a stream the slurry and beating to avoid lumps. Take out of the stove before it reaches a boil.

Prepare syrup with the sugar and 2.5 dl of water; take out of the stove when it reaches 110 Celsius. Incorporate the milk mixture and mix well. Let it cool. Add the yolks, one at a time, pass the cream through a fine chinoise.

With a funnel pour in the shells, they should be only ¾ full. Bake in a preheated oven 200 C for about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with 10X and cinnamon.

Edited August 19, 2004 by Franci (log)

[David Leite]

I made the recipe from Leite's Culinaria for my International Lab at cooking school.  They were the hit of the day, hands down.

Chromedome,

Glad you like them. They aren't as close to the orignal as the recipe I got from Alfama Restaurant in NYC. That's the recipe I used as a basis in the upcoming LA Times article, which is being reschedule for a later date. To be truthful, and anyone who has ever eaten the pastéis in Belém, nothing can match the original. For one thing, the ovens are susposedly set to 400 degrees centigrade. I checked, doublechecked, and triplechecked with the owners, and they never wavered. Granted, I wasn't allowed to test them, but I don't ordinararily have a thermometer that reaches to 800 degrees F. Also, the dough, which is puff pastry in theory but is made with room temperture ingredients, is at once more fragile and more resilient. But I'd be curious to hear your comments when the article is finally posted.

Thanks,

David

[russ parsons]

we'll see.

Edited September 7, 2004 by russ parsons (log)

[chromedome]

I'd be curious to hear your comments when the article is finally posted.

Thanks,

David

←

...and I'll be happy to offer them, as soon as I can read the article. I'm planning to do these at work, sometime during the fall, so an improved recipe will be a bonus. We have a next-door "sister store," a wine shop, and the manager there is Portugese. I plan on surprising the heck out of her with these.

I initially found your site, btw, while researching recipes for "Iberian day" at school. It was a pleasant surprise to find you here at the Gullet, a few months later; and to read your how-to on food writing.