Pastéis de Nata - Custard Tarts

In a saucepan, mix sugar with water, add lemon zest and a whole cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil and cook for about 3 minutes until a light syrup forms. Remove from heat and take out the lemon zest and cinnamon stick.

In a smaller bowl, mix plain flour with a little cold milk to form a smooth paste. Bring the remaining milk to a boil in a saucepan, then gradually pour in the flour mixture while whisking continuously, and cook for about 2 minutes until the mixture thickens slightly. Remove from heat and let it cool slightly.

Separate the egg yolks from the whites. you will need 4 yolks and 2 whole eggs. Lightly beat the yolks and eggs with a fork. Gradually stir the sugar syrup and vanilla extract into the milk mixture, then add the beaten eggs while stirring continuously. Strain the cream through a fine sieve to remove any lumps.

Roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface and roll it into a tight log. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 10 minutes to firm up.

Cut the log into 12 equal rounds (about 2 cm thick). Place each round cut side down into the greased muffin tin and press it evenly with your thumb across the bottom and up the sides of the tin so that the pastry slightly overhangs the edge. The bottom should be thinner than the sides.

Place the tin with the lined cups in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to firm up the pastry before baking.

Preheat the oven to 250 °C (top and bottom heat). Fill the cups with the egg cream about three-quarters full. the cream will puff up slightly while baking.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until the pastry is golden and characteristic dark caramelized spots appear on the surface of the cream. Watch the oven closely, as the difference between perfect caramelization and burning is just a few minutes.

Let the finished cups rest for 5 minutes in the tin, then carefully remove them to a wire rack. Serve warm, optionally sprinkled with ground cinnamon or powdered sugar.