Portuguese Egg Tarts
Portuguese egg tarts are a classic dessert popular in Portugal. The filling is a thick custard made from egg yolks, milk, and sugar, with its signature caramelization on top. The crust is a crispy, flaky puff pastry.
The texture and flavor combination makes them highly addictive to many. The pastel de nata is also a cultural and culinary symbol of Portugal, so enjoying them can evoke a sense of tradition and authenticity. Additionally, they are versatile and can be enjoyed as a snack, dessert, or even with coffee or tea, making them a popular choice in various settings from cafes to family gatherings.
History of Pastel de Nata
Portuguese egg tarts were first developed over 300 years ago in Jerónimos Monastery in Belém, a district of Lisbon. The nuns and monks would use egg whites to starch their clothes. To avoid wasting the egg yolks, they began incorporating them into desserts. They took influence from the British custard tart and developed the recipe for the pastéis de nata. The monastery began selling these tarts in order to raise money, causing it to quickly gain popularity.
These decadent treats have gained a renewed fame in Macau, a Portuguese colony close to Hong Kong, where the filling was slightly modified, replacing the traditional milk and flour thickener with heavy cream.
