Hello my dears!
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.
The famous and indescribable Pastel de Belém, or as the Portuguese say "pastel de nata".
I hope this recipe is to your liking!
Pastel de Belém
Before I start this wonderful recipe, I'd like to share with you the origin and a little history of the Pastel de Belém...
It all started in 1837 in a Lisbon neighborhood called Belém, at that time the monks of the Jerônimos Monastery began selling Pastéis de Belém (or custard tarts as they say in Portugal) in order to raise money to support the order.
The pastries were sold in a bakery next to the monastery.
The recipe for pastéis de belém 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.
Even today, in the 21st century, these chefs still make delicious pastéis de belém by hand.
But don't think that pastel de belém is only made in this pastry shop, almost every pastry shop in Portugal makes pastel de nata or pastel de belém, although the quality is much lower than the original.
The difference essentially lies in the balance of flavor and the fluffy, crunchy dough.
We can say that pastéis de nata are a historical symbol of Portuguese culture, just like Port wine or fado.
Preparing the Pastel de Belém
In first place, remove the puff pastry out of the fridge and place in the molds, which have already been greased with butter.
Second, spread all the dough in the molds with your thumbs, so that the dough is thin at the bottom and a little thicker at the edges.
Preparing the cream
First step, dissolve the flour in a little milk.
Secondadd the remaining milk to the heat with the lemon zest and cinnamon stick.
Third, when the milk is boiling, add the flour that was reserved with the milk mixture and stir well.
FourthThen, in another saucepan, bring the sugar and water to the boil, stirring well. Let it boil for 3 minutes as soon as it comes to the boil.
FifthAdd the sugar syrup to the milk and mix well. Then strain everything through a sieve, remove the cinnamon stick and lemon zest and leave to cool.
Sixth, as soon as it is cold, add the yolks with the cream and mix everything very well.
Assembling the Pastel de Belém
First step, place the molds inside a large rectangular shape and fill with the reserved cream.
Secondbake in a preheated oven at 200ºC for approximately 17 minutes or until golden brown.
ThirdRemove the tin from the oven and serve warm or cold, sprinkled with icing sugar or cinnamon powder.
Pastel de Belém
Ingredients
- puff pastry
- 500 ml of milk
- 60 g of wheat flour
- 500 g of sugar
- 250 ml of water
- 7 gems
- 1 lemon peel
- 1 cinnamon stick
Step-by-step instructions
- Cut the dough that was in the fridge into pieces and put it in the buttered molds.
- With your thumbs, start to press the center of the dough and spread it to the edges of the form so that they are thicker, making the dough thinner at the bottom.
- Preparation of the cream: dissolve the flour in a little milk.
- Bring the rest of the milk to the fire with the lemon peel and cinnamon stick.
- When boiling, add the flour and mix well. Stir until it starts to boil and turn off the heat.
- In a pan, bring the sugar and water to a boil and stir. Once it starts to boil, let it boil for 3 minutes.
- Add the sugar syrup to the milk and mix well. Strain everything in a sieve, remove the cinnamon stick and lemon peel and let it cool.
- Once completely cooled, add the yolks with the cream and mix well.
- Place the molds inside another rectangular shape, fill the molds with the cream.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 200ºC for 17 minutes. Unmold.
- Serve hot or cold, sprinkled with icing sugar or ground cinnamon.
video recipe
Nutrition
Note: This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although Cozinhadave.com tries to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
If you try this recipe, leave a comment below, letting me know how you like it!
And if you make any changes, I'd love to hear about that too. We can all benefit from your experience!
Verônica Ribeiro, the creative mind behind “Cozinha da Vê”, is passionate about flavors and aromas and transforms her passion for cooking into irresistible recipes. With a unique ability to combine ingredients and a special touch of affection in each dish, she conquers hearts and palates, making cooking a truly delicious experience on her blog.
