{"id":2597,"date":"2020-06-10T20:35:15","date_gmt":"2020-06-10T20:35:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cozinhadave.com\/?p=2597"},"modified":"2022-11-05T12:46:20","modified_gmt":"2022-11-05T12:46:20","slug":"pastel-de-belem","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/cozinhadave.com\/en\/pastel-de-belem\/","title":{"rendered":"Pastel de Bel\u00e9m"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hello my dears!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today is a very special day, because I've decided to make one of the desserts I've loved most since I arrived in Portugal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The famous and indescribable Pastel de Bel\u00e9m, or as the Portuguese say \"pastel de nata\".<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I hope this recipe is to your liking!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Pastel de Bel\u00e9m<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Before I start this wonderful recipe, I'd like to share with you the origin and a little history of the Pastel de Bel\u00e9m...<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It all started in 1837<\/strong> in a Lisbon neighborhood called Bel\u00e9m, at that time the monks of the Jer\u00f4nimos Monastery began selling Past\u00e9is de Bel\u00e9m (or custard tarts as they say in Portugal) in order to raise money to support the order.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The pastries were sold in a bakery next to the monastery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The recipe for past\u00e9is de bel\u00e9m has been kept under lock and key. The pastry chefs are the only ones who know the original recipe, which remains a secret to this day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even today, in the 21st century, these chefs still make delicious past\u00e9is de bel\u00e9m by hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But don't think that pastel de bel\u00e9m is only made in this pastry shop, almost every pastry shop in Portugal makes pastel de nata or pastel de bel\u00e9m, although the quality is much lower than the original.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The difference essentially lies in the balance of flavor and the fluffy, crunchy dough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We can say that past\u00e9is de nata are a historical symbol of Portuguese culture, just like Port wine or fado.<\/p>\n\n\n\n