Mary Berry Portuguese Custard Tarts Recipe

Mary Berry Portuguese Custard Tarts are crisp, flaky pastries filled with a rich vanilla custard and baked until beautifully golden with their signature caramelized tops. These famous tarts, inspired by the traditional Portuguese pastel de nata, combine buttery pastry with a silky, creamy filling that melts in your mouth. Despite their impressive bakery-style appearance, they are surprisingly simple to make at home. This recipe takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes from start to finish and is suitable for confident beginners.

Ingredients

For the Pastry

320g ready-rolled puff pastry
Butter, for greasing the muffin tin

For the Custard Filling

250ml whole milk
200ml double cream
120g caster sugar
25g cornflour
3 large egg yolks
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

How to Make Mary Berry Portuguese Custard Tarts Recipe

Prepare the oven: Preheat the oven to 220°C or 200°C fan. Lightly grease a 12-hole muffin tin and place it on a baking tray.
Prepare the pastry: Roll the puff pastry into a tight log and cut into 12 equal pieces. Place each piece into the muffin tin and press up the sides to create pastry cases.
Heat the milk mixture: Add the milk, cream and vanilla extract to a saucepan. Heat gently until steaming but not boiling.
Make the custard base: In a bowl, whisk together the sugar, cornflour, egg yolks, whole egg and salt until smooth.
Combine carefully: Slowly pour the warm milk mixture into the egg mixture while whisking constantly to prevent curdling.
Cook the custard: Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened and silky.
Fill the pastry cases: Spoon the custard into each pastry shell, filling about three-quarters full.
Bake: Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until the pastry is crisp and the tops are golden with characteristic dark caramelized spots.
Cool and serve: Leave the tarts in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Tips for the Best Portuguese Custard Tarts

How do I get the traditional caramelized tops?

Bake the tarts in a very hot oven and place them on the top-middle shelf. The high heat helps create the signature dark spots.

Why is my custard lumpy?

Whisk continuously while combining the hot milk with the eggs and while cooking the custard on the stove.

Can I use ready-made puff pastry?

Yes. Good-quality ready-made puff pastry produces excellent results and saves time.

How do I keep the pastry crisp?

Allow the custard to cool slightly before filling the pastry shells and bake immediately.

Serving Suggestions

Serve warm with a dusting of icing sugar.
Pair with freshly brewed coffee.
Enjoy alongside afternoon tea.
Serve with fresh berries for dessert.
Add a light sprinkle of cinnamon before serving.

Storage

Room Temperature

Store in an airtight container for up to 1 day.

Refrigerator

Keep refrigerated for up to 3 days. Reheat briefly in the oven before serving.

Freezing

Freeze cooled tarts in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and warm before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 215 kcal
Carbohydrates: 23g
Protein: 4g
Fat: 12g
Saturated Fat: 6g
Sodium: 95mg

Nutritional values are estimates and may vary depending on ingredients used.

FAQs

Can I make Portuguese custard tarts in advance?

Yes, they can be baked a day ahead and reheated in the oven for a few minutes before serving.

Can I use shop-bought puff pastry?

Yes, ready-made all-butter puff pastry works very well and saves preparation time.

Why are there dark spots on top of Portuguese custard tarts?

The dark spots are a traditional feature created by baking the custard at a high temperature.

Can I serve these tarts cold?

Yes, but they are traditionally served slightly warm or at room temperature for the best texture and flavour.