Portuguese Egg Tart (2) Recipe

Prepare molds and pastry

Preheat oven to 250°C (480°F). Lightly grease two 8-9 cm (3–3.5 in) tart tins or a two-cup muffin tin with 1 tsp unsalted butter. Dust your work surface lightly with 1 tsp flour. Unfold the puff pastry sheet and, using a round cutter about 10 cm (4 in) diameter, cut two rounds (you can re-roll scraps once).

Roll each round very briefly (about 5–10 seconds) to enlarge slightly, then press each one into a greased tart tin, pushing the pastry up the sides so the base is thin and even. Chill the lined tins in the refrigerator while you make the custard (chilling helps the pastry keep its shape during baking).

Infuse milk

Combine 120 ml whole milk, 60 ml heavy cream, 1 strip lemon peel, and 1 cinnamon stick in a small saucepan. Heat gently over medium-low until just below simmer (small bubbles at the edge) — do not boil. Remove from heat, cover, and steep 10 minutes to infuse flavor. Remove and discard the lemon peel and cinnamon stick after steeping.

Make custard slurry

While the milk infuses, whisk together 40 g granulated sugar and 1 tbsp cornstarch in a small bowl to break up lumps. In a separate bowl, whisk 1 whole egg and 1 egg yolk with 0.5 tsp vanilla and a pinch of salt until smooth.

Return the infused milk/cream mixture to low heat. Whisk a small ladle (about 2 tbsp) of the hot milk into the egg mixture to temper the eggs (slowly raise temperature). Then pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk, whisking constantly.

Cook the mixture over low-medium heat, stirring constantly with a whisk, until it thickens slightly to a thin custard that coats the back of a spoon (this takes 2–4 minutes). It should be pourable but not runny. Remove from heat and strain through a fine sieve into a clean bowl to ensure smoothness. Let the custard cool for 5–10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Fill shells and bake

Reduce oven temperature to 230°C (450°F) and place an oven rack in the lower third (this helps get a blistered top while the base crisps). Remove the chilled pastry-lined tins from the fridge. Stir the custard briefly and divide it evenly between the two pastry shells (fill to about 3 mm/1/8 in below the rim). Smooth the surface with the back of a spoon if needed.

Lightly sprinkle about 1 tsp granulated sugar across the top of the two tarts (this helps with caramelization). Place the tins on a baking tray and bake at 230°C (450°F) for 12–16 minutes, rotating once if your oven is uneven, until the tops have dark brown blisters and the pastry is deeply golden and crisp. If you prefer more caramelized spots, you can briefly finish with a small kitchen torch to caramelize the sugar.

Remove from oven and let cool in the tins for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool another 10 minutes. The custard will set further as it cools.

Serve warm or at room temperature. Optional — dust lightly with powdered sugar or a pinch of ground cinnamon just before serving. Store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator and re-crisp pastry in a hot oven for 3–5 minutes before serving.