Egg Custard Tart - Tarte de Pastel de Nata aka Flan

If you've tasted a portuguese Pastel de Nata (egg tart/custard tart) and you liked it you should definitely try this one. It's pure and simply a large Pastel de Nata. You'll learn how to make the pastry by yourself plus the creamy custard filling which is sooo deliciously soft.

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Pastry ingredients:

- 5oz plain wheat flour

- 3½ oz butter

- 2½ oz sugar

- 1 egg yolk

- freshly grated lemon zest

For the custard filling you will need:

- 4 egg yolks

- 6 tbsp sugar

- 1½ tbsp white cornflour

- 1lb 2oz milk

- lemon zest

- a pinch of vanilla sugar

To make the pastry, put the flour and butter in a large bowl and rub them together with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Tip in the sugar and lemon zest and mix slightly. Now work in the egg yolk until you have a smooth dough. Roll the dough into a ball, wrap in cling film and chill for at least 30minutes.

So, while the pastry is chilling, make the egg custard. Put the egg yolks and vanilla sugar* in a saucepan and whisk together using a balloon whisk for 1-2 minutes until the mixture turns pale. Tip in the cornflour and the milk and mix well. Add the lemon zest and place over a medium heat and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring continuously until it has thickened. Don't stop whisking otherwise your mixture will glue to the bottom of the saucepan.

On a floured surface, roll out the chilled pastry to the thickness of a £1 coin, then use to line a 25cm tart tin. Trim the pastry with a small knife.Carefully pour the filling into the pastry case and bake in the oven for 40 minutes, until the filling is brulléed.

Enjoy it and don't forget to use your leftover egg whites to bake an Egg Whites Ring Cake.

*Don't panic if you don't knowhowtomake/have vanilla sugar and this is where the tip comes in: simply add a bit of vanilla extract to the sugar and voilà you got yourself a nice homemade instant vanilla sugar. 

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Para a massa:

- 150g de farinha
- 100g de manteiga
- 60g de açucar
- 1 gema
- raspa de um limao

Para o creme: 
- 4 gemas
- 6 c. (sopa) de açucar
- 1 ½ c. (sopa) maizena
- 500ml de leite
- casca de limao
- 1 pitada de açucar baunilhado

Prepare a massa começando por derreter a manteiga e adicionando a farinha o açucar, a gema e a raspa de limao e amasse vigorosamente até ficar uma massa homogénea.

Prepare o creme dissolvendo a maizena com um pouco de leite. Bata o açucar e as gemas. Adicione depois o leite, a maizena, o açucar baunilhado e a casca de limao. Leve ao lume mexendo sempre até engrossar. 

Forre a tarteira com a massa e verta o creme. Leve a cozer no forno a 180graus durante 40minutos até queimar um pouco em cima como o pastel de nata. 

Nao se esqueça de utilizar as 5 claras que sobraram para fazer o bolo de claras.