Pastel de Nata Archives - Nata & Co (2024)

FAQs

What does pastel de nata mean in Portuguese? ›

Pasteis de nata is Portuguese for cream pastries — the name describes the velvety texture of this classic dish. The pastel de nata was first made over 300 years ago in a monastery west of Lisbon.

Instead of a short, crumbly pastry, the pastel de nata has a crisp, slightly salty, layered crust; and, rather than the firm, egg-rich fillings of the classic British or French custard tart, the filling is almost molten, and spiced with cinnamon and lemon zest, as opposed to our peppery nutmeg or sweet vanilla.

The first-ever version of Pastel de Nata was baked over 200 years ago. The Pastéis de Belém have been in operation since 1837, and it is believed that the first-ever version of this dessert was baked over 200 years ago in the very same spot by nuns at the nearby Mosteiro dos Jerónimos.

An espesso (called a bica in Lisbon or café in the rest of Portugal) pairs perfectly with the pastel de nata. If you prefer a milkier coffee, particularly in the morning, try a meia de leite or a galão.

The natas have a shelf life of 12 months starting from the time they're originally pre-baked in Portugal. You can continue to store your natas in your freezer up until the expiration date printed on the package. Once defrosted and baked, the natas need to be consumed within 48 hours.

They can be enjoyed warm or cold. If you've made a batch but don't want to eat them all they will freeze well. Just place a few in a tupperware box and freeze for up to 3 months. You probably won't need to though as they will all disappear pretty sharpish!

Sprinkled with cinnamon and/or powdered sugar to taste, pastéis de nata are definitely one of Portugal's favorite treats. It was thanks to the liberal revolution which took place in Portugal in 1820 that the general population would have access to these baked goods.

Pastel de nata vs.

Where a crème brûlée custard recipe calls for two egg yolks per 3/4 cup of cream, the pastel de nata recipe calls for six egg yolks per cup of milk. The Portuguese tarts rely more on egg yolks to impart richness, whereas a standard custard relies more heavily on milk or cream.

I did not grow up on pasteis de nata, so my taste in them reflects the pastries & desserts I grew up with - warm, but not scorching hot; flaky, lightly crispy crust that is not oily/buttery; relatively thick, but not dense, filling with strong flavor of eggs and cream; very slight sweetness.

As a fresh product at ambient temperature it should be consumed within 24 hours. As a frozen product it has 12 months shelf life. Storage conditions are in a closed package in the freezer at -18C. Once defrosted, the Pastel de Nata should be prepared and consumed within the next 24 hours.

What is a fun fact about pastel de nata? ›

This simple but delectable treat was actually created in an effort to prevent food waste: the nuns and monks would use egg whites to starch their clothes, which left an abundance of egg yolks. Thus: the egg yolk-based custard in pastéis de nata was born!

Pasteis de Nata are best eaten warm (or cold) the same day they are baked. However you can store them at room temperature in an airtight container for up to two days.

The term pastéis de nata is Portuguese for “cream pastries.” Pastéis is the plural form of the word for pastry. So if you hear or see pastel de nata instead, it's simply referring to one custard tart instead of several.

cream [noun] the yellowish-white oily substance that forms on the top of milk, and from which butter and cheese are made.

Pastel de nata (Portuguese: [pɐʃˈtɛl dɨ ˈnatɐ]; pl. : pastéis de nata; Portuguese: [pɐʃˈtɐjʒ ðɨ-])) is a Portuguese egg custard tart pastry, optionally dusted with cinnamon.

In Brazil, pastel (plural: pastéis) is a typical street-food Brazilian dish consisting of half-circle or rectangle-shaped thin-crust pies with assorted sweet fillings and fried in vegetable oil. The result is a crispy, brownish-fried pie.

Monks at the Jeronimos Monastery in Belém, just outside of Lisbon proper, are credited with inventing pastéis de nata in the 17th century. Monasteries went through large quantities of egg whites for starching all those holy robes. So, as to not waste the precious yolks, they turned to making pastries and cakes.