Portuguese Tarts Recipes

Steps:

• Lightly grease a 12 hole muffin tin and pre-heat oven to 200C/180C fan/Gas 6
• Put egg, yolks, sugar & cornflour in a pan and mix well together then gradually add the milk until mixture is well mixed and smooth.
• Place pan on medium heat and stir constantly until mixture thickens and comes to the boil. Remove pan from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
• Put custard in a glass/ceramic bowl to cool and cover with cling film to prevent skin forming.
• Cust pastry sheet into two pieces and place them on top of each other. Roll the pastry tightly, from the short side, into a log and cut the log into 12 even sized rounds.
• On a lightly floured board, roll each round into a disc (approx. 10cm) and press the pastry discs into the muffin tin.
• Spoon in the cooled custard and bake for 20-25mins until golden on top. Leave to cool in the tin for 5mins then move to a cooling rack to finish cooling although they can be eaten warm.

Steps:

• Combine flour, salt, and cold water in a bowl. Mix with a wooden spoon until dough just comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Dough should be sticky; adjust with more flour or water to achieve what's shown in the video.
• Transfer dough onto a well floured surface. Dust a little more flour over the top. Knead for a minute or two to form a round. Cover and let rest for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Roll dough into a square about 1/8 inch thick, dusting with flour as necessary; dough should still be sticky.
• Spread 1/3 of the butter over 2/3 of the square using a silicone spatula, leaving a 1/2 inch border. Flip the unbuttered side over the middle of the square and fold the opposite end over it like a letter. Straighten the edges as needed.
• Turn dough with a bench scraper to unstick it from the counter; dust with flour. Flip and sprinkle more flour on top. Roll dough into a 1/8-inch-thick rectangle, carefully stretching edges as needed. Spread another 1/3 of the butter over 2/3 of the dough. Fold into thirds. Transfer onto a lined baking sheet and freeze until butter is slightly chilled, about 10 minutes.
• Sprinkle dough with flour and roll into a square a little over 1/8 inch thick. Spread remaining butter over the dough, leaving a 1- to 1 1/2-inch border on the top edge. Dip your finger in water and lightly moisten the unbuttered edge. Roll dough into a log starting from the bottom edge. Dust with more flour and polish the ends as needed. Seal with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
• Combine sugar, 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon water, cinnamon, and lemon zest in a pot. Boil over medium heat, without stirring, until syrup reaches 210 to 215 degrees F (100 degrees C). Remove from heat.
• Preheat oven 550 degrees F (288 degrees C). Grease a 12-cup muffin tin.
• Whisk flour, salt, and cold milk together very thoroughly in a cold pot. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until milk thickens, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for at least 10 minutes.
• Whisk egg yolks into the cooled milk. Add the sugar syrup and vanilla extract. Mix until combined. Strain custard into a glass measuring cup.
• Unwrap the dough and trim any uneven bits on the ends. Score log into 12 even pieces using a knife; cut through.
• Place a piece of dough in each muffin cup. Dip your thumb lightly in some cold water. Press thumb into the center of the swirl; push dough against the bottom and up the sides of the cup until it reaches least 1/8 inch past the top. Fill each cup 3/4 of the way with custard.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the pastry is browned and bubbly, and the tops start to blister and caramelize, about 12 minutes. Cool tarts briefly and serve warm.

Steps:

• Begin by preparing pastry shells.
• Lay puff pastries out flat, sprinkle with cinnamon and lightly rub it in to spread out and coat surface evenly.
• Roll up both pastry sheets and cut each into 6 even pieces.
• Stand up each piece on it's end and flatten down with fingers into disc shape, place disc's in standard muffin pan.
• Using fingers, spread each piece into a cup shape using the pan as a mold.
• Bake for 8-10 minutes at 400°F in oven on top shelf.
• While they're baking prepare custard mix.
• In a medium sized bowl mix together eggs, sugar, vanilla, creme fraiche and zest from 1 orange.
• Shells should still be a little soft and slightly puffed out when they come out of the oven - using a spoon, push back the pastry into the mold and into its cup shape so it can hold the custard.
• Fill each shell almost to the top with custard mix.
• Put custard-filled pastry shells back into 400°F oven on top shelf and bake for 8-10 minutes.
• While tarts continue baking prepare caramel topping.
• Heat up a medium sized saucepan on the stove over medium-high heat.
• Add sugar and juice from 2 oranges.
• Use care and caution when making caramel - it is like molten lava. Only use metal utensils while working with caramel as it will ruin wooden spoons and plastic could melt.
• Continuously watching pot and stir occasionally to prevent burning, sugar will melt and bubble as it cooks.
• Caramel is ready once it turns a nice amber color and should be done around the same time the tarts are finished baking.
• Move tarts onto wire rack to cool. Using a spoon, drizzle caramel over top of each tart.

Steps:

• Pour the egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch into a saucepan and whisk them together. Gradually beat in the cream and milk until smooth. Place the pan over medium heat, and stirring constantly, cook until the mixture thickens and comes to a boil. Switch off the heat, and stir in the vanilla extract. Transfer the custard to a bowl, cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming, and leave out to cool.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease a 12-count muffin pan.
• Halve the puff pastry sheet horizontally. Set one half on top of the other, and set it aside for 5 minutes. Tightly roll up the puff pastry from short end to short end. Cut the puff pastry log into 12 (1/2-inch) rounds. Lay each piece on a lightly floured surface, and using a rolling pin, flatten out each round until they are 4-inches in diameter. Press each round into each muffin pan. Spoon the cooled custard into the pastry cases, and bake until the pastry and custards are golden, about 20 to 25 minutes. Leave the tarts in the pan for 5 minutes, and then remove and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Steps:

• Dust a surface with flour and roll out your pastry to a bit bigger than an 8 1/2-by-11-inch sheet of paper. Brush with the egg yolk and scatter the rest of the ingredients over, being subtle with the allspice and cinnamon. Roll the pastry up tightly like a Swiss roll to make a long sausage shape. With a knife, cut across the sausage into 1-inch (2 1/2-centimeter) pieces. Take 8 pieces aside, and freeze the rest of the pastry for a rainy day.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C/gas 6).
• Turn all the pieces of pastry swirl-side up and flatten them slightly. Dust the surface of your pastry with flour, then roll each piece out into a thin circle (around the size of a teacup saucer). Even I don't have proper pastry molds at home, so I just grease and flour the outsides of 8 of my glass tumblers. Then, I place a circle of pastry on top of each tumbler, pleating, pinching and hugging the pastry around them.
• Place the tumblers on a baking tray, pastry at the top, and put in the preheated oven until crisp and golden, around 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and, while still hot, take a tea towel and pat the slightly raised top of the pastry back down on to the flat bottom of the tumbler ? giving you a flat base again. Allow to cool, and carefully remove the pastry cases from around the tumblers.
• Fill your pastry cases with the chocolate filling: Place the double cream, sugar, and pinch of salt in a pan and bring to the boil. As soon as the mixture has boiled, remove from the heat, and add the butter and chocolate. Stir until it has completely melted. Allow the mixture to cool slightly, stirring in the cold milk until smooth and shiny. Sometimes this mixture looks like it has split. Allow the mixture to cool down a bit more, and whisk in a little extra cold milk until smooth. Scrape all the mixture into the cooked pastry shells. Shake to even it out and allow to cool for around 1 to 2 hours, until it is at room temperature. Dust with the cocoa powder. Ultimately the pastry should be short and crisp and the filling should be smooth and should cut like butter.

Steps:

• Grease muffin pans with margarine.
• Place the puff pastry over a table dusted with flour. Dust the pastry with a little more flour and roll out the pastry into a rectangle shape with a rolling pin. Roll the pastry from one end to the other and cut in round slices with 4 centimeters / (1 1/2 inches). Put the slices within the muffin pans and press the center of the pastry with fingers until fill completely the muffin pans, set aside.
• In a bowl, dissolve the corn starch in 50 ml / (3 1/3 tablespoons) milk.
• In a saucepan, pour the remaining milk, lemon peel, cinnamon stick, the dissolved corn starch and sugar. Stir and bring to low heat, stirring occasionally. When starts boiling, remove the lemon peel and the cinnamon stick (reserve both). Turn off the heat and add the egg yolks one by one, stirring constantly. Add the lemon peel and the cinnamon stick and place back over low heat until obtain a creamy mixture, about 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180ºC / (350ºF).
• Turn off the heat, remove the lemon peel and the cinnamon stick and pour the cream in the muffin pans. Bake for about 30 minutes.
• Remove from oven, unmold and let cool. Sprinkle with cinnamon and powdered sugar and serve.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 220°C (425°F).
• In a small pan, place the sugar, water, and cinnamon stick. Simmer for 3 minutes and set aside.
• Combine milk and cream in a saucepan and place over a medium heat. Bring mixture to a boil, then remove from the heat and set aside.
• To a large bowl, add the egg yolks, whole egg, vanilla extract, and corn flour. Whisk until fully combined and no lumps remain.
• Temper the egg mixture by introducing the hot milk and cream in two 100 milliliter batches, then whisk.
• Return mixture to the saucepan and place over a low-medium heat. Whisk continually until mixture thickens. Turn off heat.
• Remove cinnamon stick from the syrup and slowly trickle into the custard, whisking continually.
• Lightly flour a work surface and cut puff pastry into 12 equal pieces.
• To a lightly greased muffin tin, push each piece of puff pastry down and up into the sides of the muffin holes until evenly distributed.
• Pour custard into each muffin tin so each one is three quarters full. Bake for 16-20 minutes until golden and brown.
• Serve warm with a dusting of icing sugar and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
• Enjoy!

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C.) Lightly grease 12 muffin cups and line bottom and sides with puff pastry.
• In a saucepan, combine milk, cornstarch, sugar and vanilla. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens. Place egg yolks in a medium bowl. Slowly whisk 1/2 cup of hot milk mixture into egg yolks. Gradually add egg yolk mixture back to remaining milk mixture, whisking constantly. Cook, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes, or until thickened. Remove vanilla bean.
• Fill pastry-lined muffin cups with mixture and bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and filling is lightly browned on top

Steps:

• On a lightly floured surface, roll puff pastry into an 18-inch/46-centimeter square. Starting with the edge closest to you, tightly roll the dough into a log. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until very firm, at least 30 minutes and preferably overnight.
• Heat the oven to 500 degrees and arrange the oven racks in the top third and lower third of the oven. Place 2 cookie sheets on the oven racks while the oven heats.
• In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, cinnamon stick and 2/3 cup/165 milliliters water. Bring to a boil and cook 1 minute. Turn off heat and let stand until you're ready to use it.
• Roll the firm log of pastry on a lightly floured surface until 1 inch/2 1/2 centimeters in diameter. Trim the ends, then cut the log into 1/2-inch/12-millimeter slices. (You should have 48.)
• Using a rolling pin, roll one of the pastry rounds into a 2 1/2-inch/63-millimeter circle. Place pastry into the cavity of a mini-muffin tin, and press to evenly flatten the dough against the bottom and sides of the cavity, extending about 1/16 inch/3 millimeters above the rim of the pan. The dough should be about 1/16 inch/3 millimeters thick, with the bottom a bit thicker than the sides. Repeat with the remaining dough, chilling the cut rounds if dough becomes difficult to roll. Refrigerate crusts until firm, at least 10 minutes.
• While the dough chills, finish the filling: In a small saucepan, heat 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon/255 milliliters milk over medium-low heat until bubbles begin to form around the edges.
• In a large bowl, whisk flour with the remaining 5 tablespoons/75 milliliters milk. Continue whisking while adding the hot milk in a slow, steady stream. Discard the cinnamon stick from the sugar syrup and whisk the syrup into the milk mixture in a steady stream. Return to the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until thickened, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Place the yolks in a large bowl. Whisking constantly, add hot milk mixture to eggs in a slow stream until fully incorporated. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Pour warm filling into pastry shells until they're three-quarters full.
• Transfer tarts to the cookie sheets in oven and bake until the shells are golden brown and crisp, and the custards are golden brown and darkened in spots, 15 to 19 minutes.
• Let cool in the pans on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then pop out tarts to continue cooling on the racks for another 5 minutes. Sprinkle with cinnamon and serve warm.

Steps:

• Using a pastry brush, grease eight individual pastry tins generously with the melted butter, then chill in the fridge. Put the butter between two sheets of baking parchment, then bash and roll into a large rectangle roughly the thickness of a £1 coin. In a large bowl, mix the flour with 150ml water and a pinch of salt using a wooden spoon. Tip the dough onto a clean surface and knead for 5 mins until smooth.
• Shape the dough into a rough rectangle, cover with cling film and rest in the fridge for 20 mins. If your butter is getting too soft, put it in the fridge to chill too. Roll the dough out into a large, thin rectangle at least twice the size of the butter. Put the butter in the middle of the dough, fold all the edges up over it to encase it, then fold the dough over itself in half.
• Roll out the dough to roughly half its original size, then fold in half, then half again to make a rectangle a quarter the size of the original. Repeat this process once more, flouring your work surface if you need to. Don't worry about being too precise here, or if the butter starts breaking through some of the layers. Cover and put the pastry in the fridge to rest for 20 mins.
• On a floured surface roll the chilled dough into a thin A3-sized rectangle, then roll it up lengthways into a tight sausage shape. Divide the pastry into three, the middle section will make your perfect looking tarts, then wrap and freeze the rest for another time. (It would also make delicious palmier biscuits if you roll it out and sprinkle with sugar.)
• Slice the pastry into 8 discs. Work the discs into the tins with your fingers, pressing and stretching them to fill the tins. If the layers start to come apart, press them back together. Chill while you make the custard.
• In a pan, warm 150ml milk with the cinnamon stick, lemon peel and half the butter until just simmering and the butter has melted. In a large bowl, sieve the cornflour and flour into the remaining milk and whisk to form a thin paste. Pour the warm milk mixture over the flour paste and leave to infuse for a few mins. Sieve the custard back into the pan, heat gently and keep stirring for 3-4 mins until it reaches the consistency of double cream. Take off the heat and blend in the remaining butter.
• Put the syrup ingredients in a frying pan and stir over a medium heat for 5 mins until you have a light, fragrant caramel. Take the pan off the heat and carefully pour in 100ml water. Return the pan to a low heat until the sugar has melted again into a syrup. Strain into a bowl.
• Slowly add half the syrup to the custard and whisk until completely blended. You can store the custard in the fridge from this point, but don't add the eggs until just before you are ready to cook the tarts. Heat your oven to 260C/240C fan/gas 8 or as high as your oven will go. Put a baking tray on the top shelf of the oven to heat up. Whisk the egg yolks in a small bowl, then incorporate into the custard. Pour the mixture into the pastry bases.
• Put the filled tin on the hot baking tray. Put the tray in the middle of the oven and bake for 5- 8 mins, or until the custard starts to puff up. Once the custard has puffed up, turn the oven onto its grill setting and transfer the tarts to the top shelf. Grill for 1-2 mins or until caramelised - the darker the better. Remove from the oven and brush with a little of the remaining syrup. Let the tarts cool slightly in the moulds before turning out onto a cooling rack.