Pastel de nata is a Portuguese egg custard tart pastry dusted with cinnamon. Were created before the 18th century by Catholic monks at the Hieronymites Monastery in the civil parish of Saint Mary of Bethlehem, in Lisbon. In the aftermath of the Liberal Revolution of 1820, following the dissolution of religious orders and in the face of the impending closure of many convents and monasteries, the monks started selling pastéis de nata at a nearby sugar refinery to bring in revenue. In 1834, the monastery was closed and the recipe sold to the sugar refinery, whose owners in 1837 opened the Fábrica de Pastéis de Belém. The descendants own the business to this day.
Step 1: Begin by making a sugar syrup. Combine the sugar, water, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and cinnamon stick in a saucepan and cook at a medium heat until a thermometer reads 220°F (100°C).
Step 2: In a separate saucepan, whisk the milk, flour, and salt together until well combined. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, for about 5 minutes until thickened. Remove from the heat and let cool for 10 minutes.
Step 4: Whisk in the egg yolks until well combined
Step 5: Remove the cinnamon stick from the sugar syrup and slowly add to the mixture. Then strain into a pouring cup.
Step 6: Cut the puff pastry in half and place one half on top of the other. Then roll into a tight log (across the shorter side so you have a long log). Cut the log into 12 equal pieces.
Step 7: Now press each of the 12 pieces into a well greased muffin tin. You can wet your thumb with cold water to keep the dough cool enough. The dough should extend slightly past the edges of the tin.
Step 8: Fill each cup of dough 3/4 of the way to the top with custard and bake at 550°F (290°C) (or the highest your oven goes) for about 10-12 minutes. You want the custard to brown and even blacken a bit on top — this is a sign of a true pastel de nata!
Step 9: The last step but the most important is enjoy it !