Crisp, shattering puff pastry holds a silky, blistered custard scented with cinnamon and lemon—the iconic Lisbon café tart.
Ingredients
500 g all-butter puff pastry, cold
5 g unsalted butter (for greasing)
300 g granulated sugar
250 ml water
3 g cinnamon stick
6 g lemon peel (wide strip, no white pith)
60 g all-purpose flour
500 ml whole milk
1 g fine sea salt
110 g egg yolks (about 6 large)
20 g icing sugar (for dusting)
2 g ground cinnamon (for dusting)
Steps
Place an oven rack in the upper third of the oven.
Set a baking steel or inverted heavy baking sheet on the rack.
Preheat the oven to 260°C.
Combine 300 g sugar and 250 ml water in a small saucepan.
Bring the syrup to a boil over medium-high heat.
Cook the syrup to 105°C.
Remove the pan from heat.
Add 3 g cinnamon stick and 6 g lemon peel to the syrup.
Set the syrup aside to infuse for 20 minutes.
Whisk 60 g flour and 100 ml milk in a medium saucepan until smooth.
Add 400 ml milk and 1 g salt to the pan.
Heat the mixture over medium heat until steaming.
Place the pan off the heat.
Strain the infused syrup to remove the cinnamon and lemon.
Pour the warm syrup into the milk mixture in a thin stream.
Whisk the mixture until fully combined.
Return the pan to medium heat.
Whisk the mixture constantly.
Cook the mixture until thick like pudding and just beginning to bubble, 3–5 minutes.
Strain the custard into a bowl through a fine sieve.
Cool the custard to 50°C or lukewarm.
Whisk 110 g egg yolks in a separate bowl until homogeneous.
Whisk the yolks into the warm custard.
Cover the surface of the custard with plastic wrap.
Rest the custard for 20 minutes at room temperature.
Lightly grease a 12-cup metal muffin tin with 5 g butter.
Flour the work surface lightly.
Place 500 g puff pastry on the floured surface.
Roll the pastry to a 3 mm thick rectangle (about 30 cm by 40 cm).
Roll the rectangle tightly into a log from a long side.
Wrap the log in plastic wrap.
Chill the log for 20 minutes.
Cut the log into 12 equal rounds, about 3 cm thick.
Place one round, cut side up, into each muffin cup.
Moisten your thumb with cold water.
Press the center of each round straight down to flatten the base.
Press the dough up the sides until the shell reaches 3 mm thickness at the rim.
Chill the lined tin for 10 minutes.
Whisk the custard briefly.
Pour the custard into a jug with a spout.
Fill each pastry shell to about 80% full.
Place the muffin tin on the preheated steel or sheet.
Bake the tarts until the custard blisters and the pastry is deep golden, 12–16 minutes.
Rotate the pan halfway through if browning is uneven.
Remove the pan from the oven.
Cool the tarts in the pan for 5 minutes.
Lift the tarts out to a wire rack.
Cool the tarts for 15 minutes.
Dust the tops with 20 g icing sugar and 2 g ground cinnamon.
Serve the tarts warm.
Notes
Technique keys: The tight pastry log creates the signature concentric layers; pressing with a wet thumb thins the base without tearing. A 105°C sugar syrup delivers a glossy, smooth custard that resists curdling.
Equipment: Traditional 7 cm Portuguese tart molds work best, but a standard metal muffin tin is an excellent stand-in. Avoid silicone molds, which inhibit browning.
Oven strategy: If your oven tops out below 260°C, bake at its maximum setting and extend the time slightly. For extra blistering, briefly broil with close monitoring.
Make-ahead: Chill custard up to 24 hours (whisk smooth before using). Line tins and freeze shells up to 1 month; fill from frozen and add 2–3 minutes to bake time.
Serving and storage: Serve warm the day made for peak crispness. Re-crisp at 220°C for 3–5 minutes. Store leftovers at room temperature up to 8 hours or refrigerated up to 2 days.
Cooksmith