Portuguese egg tarts (Natas)

Portuguese egg tarts (Natas) 

The tall and young woman got out of the car.
The little girl in frilly pink frocks jumped out after her.
The little bakery aptly named `Primavera` held sweet little cases filled with the sweetest burnt custard.
This was the daily routine for me and my daughter every weekday on the way back home from school. I dont know if Primavera still exists at the far end of Avenida 24th Julho, but the memories of sweet natas remains in my mind.

Natas are baked egg tarts or baked custard tarts, a delicacy from Portugal. Its cousin, Hongkong egg tarts are different in that the cases are made of short crust pastry instead of puff pastry and that the custard in not caramelised.
These are pretty easy to make once you have puff pastry. I make my own puff pastry but you can always use ready to use puff pastry rolls.

For the filling: (makes 10 egg tarts )

egg yolks 2
sugar 2 tablespoon
cream 60 ml
full cream milk 260 ml
corn flour 1 teaspoon
vanilla extract 1 teaspoon

Mix everything together and whisk well so that there are no lumps. Place on low heat and keep stirring till the custard thinly coats the sides of the pan. Cool completely.

Roll the puff pastry, cut into ten circles to line a cupcake pan.
Fit the puff pastry rounds into the cup cake pan, Run a knife over to neaten the edges.
Pour just enough custard filling to come up to half a cm lower than the rim.

Bake at 220 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes or until the top of the custard is slightly burnt.

Below is the photo of tarts being baked in the oven.

Look at the shine on top of the custard. Bake some, you will want to make it every week.