Pastel de Nata

The Pastel de Nata is Portugal's most iconic pastry. The recipe originated in the Jerónimos Monastery in Belém, where monks used egg whites for starching clothes and created the tarts to use the yolks. After the dissolution of the monasteries in 1834, the recipe was sold to the nearby Fábrica de Pastéis de Belém.

A perfect pastel de nata has a shatteringly crisp, caramelized top with dark blistered spots. The custard beneath should be creamy and just set, while the pastry remains flaky and buttery. Served warm with cinnamon and powdered sugar, these tarts have become a global symbol of Portuguese gastronomy.