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Portuguese pastel de nata cake with golden brown top and vanilla filling
Classic Portuguese dessert with vanilla cream

Portuguese Custard Tart Cake

Author: Flavelo
Recipes Cakes and Desserts
The Pastel de Nata, this burnt-top, wobbly vanilla cream miracle, started its world conquest from the monasteries of Lisbon. Originally, egg whites were used for starching habits, and this dessert was born from the remaining yolks. Now we make it in cake form: the key is baking at very high heat, which caramelises the top of the cream while the puff pastry forms a crispy cup.
🕒 Prep Time 40 mins
🍳 Cook Time 25 mins
⌛ Total Time 1 hr 5 mins
🍽️ Servings 8 servings
🔥 Calories 400 kcal
🌍 Cuisine Portuguese

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

  • Cake tin (springform or pie dish)
  • Small saucepan
  • Whisk
  • Grater
  • Sieve

Allergen Information

⚠️ Cereals containing gluten
⚠️ Eggs
⚠️ Milk

Instructions

1 ✓

Preheat oven to 220°C (fan if possible). Line the cake tin with puff pastry to form a high rim. Refrigerate until cream is ready.

Tip: The meeting of cold pastry and hot oven is crucial for layering (fat steam raises the layers).
2 ✓

Pour milk into a saucepan. Add scraped vanilla seeds, the pod itself, and lemon peel pieces. Bring to boil, remove from heat and let stand for 10 mins.

Tip: During steeping, essential oils extract from the peel and vanilla, infusing the milk.
3 ✓

In a bowl, mix egg yolks, sugar, and cornflour until lump-free.

Tip: Sugar granules help disperse the cornflour so the cream won't be lumpy.
4 ✓

Remove lemon peel and vanilla pod from milk. Slowly drizzle lukewarm milk into egg mixture while stirring constantly.

Tip: If milk is too hot, eggs curdle. Gradual heat equalisation prevents this (tempering).
5 ✓

Pour back into saucepan and cook to a thick pudding over medium heat, stirring constantly. Once thickened, remove from heat and stir in cream and cinnamon.

Tip: Double cream makes the cooked custard silkier, and cinnamon gives the characteristic Portuguese flavour.
6 ✓

Pour cream into the pastry case. Bake for 20-25 mins until pastry is golden brown and dark brown burnt spots appear on top of the cream.

Tip: Don't be scared of black spots! This is sugar caramelisation, the trademark and tastiest part of the cake.
7 ✓

Let cool completely in the tin, then dust with icing sugar and perhaps a little cinnamon before serving.

Tip: Warm cream is still wobbly; it sets to a sliceable consistency while cooling (gelatinisation).

Recipe FAQ

Why such high heat (220°C)?
This cake believes in heat shock. The pastry needs sudden heat to layer, and the cream needs it to blacken (caramelise) on top before the inside scrambles.
The cream stayed runny.
You probably didn't cook it thick enough on the stove, or cut it too soon. Let it cool completely; the cornflour sets the cream permanently then.

Ingredients

  • 500 g Puff pastry (chilled)
  • 500 ml Whole milk
  • 200 ml Double cream
  • 150 g Caster sugar
  • 1 pc Vanilla pod
  • 1 pc Lemon peel (yellow part only, whole)
  • 6 pcs Egg yolks
  • 40 g Cornflour
  • 1 tsp Ground cinnamon
  • 30 g Icing sugar (for dusting)