Pastel de Nata Timor

Name: Pastel de Nata Timor
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: Timorese
Ingredients: 1 sheet puff pastry; 4 egg yolks; 200ml whole milk; 100g sugar; 2 tbsp all-purpose flour; 1 cinnamon stick; 1 strip lemon peel; 1 tsp vanilla extract; Pinch of salt; Ground cinnamon for dusting

Pastel de Nata (pahs-TEL deh NAH-tah)

Timorese Custard Tart

⏱ Prep Time 1 hour 30 min

📈 Difficulty Hard

👥 Servings

🔥 Calories 211 kcal

Flaky pastry cups filled with a creamy egg custard flavored with cinnamon and vanilla, baked until the custard sets with characteristic dark spots on top.

Nutrition & Info

Protein 4.0g

Carbs 24.0g

Fat 11.0g

Protein Carbs Fat

Dietary

vegetarian nut-free

Allergen Warnings

⚠ eggs ⚠ gluten ⚠ dairy

Equipment Needed

muffin tin rolling pin saucepan whisk oven

Presentation Guide

Vessel: wire cooling rack or small plate

Garnishes: dusting of cinnamon

Accompaniments: Timorese coffee, black tea

Ingredients

1 sheet puff pastry
4 egg yolks
200ml whole milk
100g sugar
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 cinnamon stick
1 strip lemon peel
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Ground cinnamon for dusting

Instructions

1
Heat milk with cinnamon stick and lemon peel until just simmering. Remove from heat and steep ten minutes.
2
Whisk sugar, flour, and salt in a bowl. Gradually whisk in the warm strained milk until smooth.
3
Return mixture to saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until it thickens, about five minutes.
4
Remove from heat, let cool slightly, then whisk in egg yolks one at a time and vanilla.
5
Roll puff pastry tightly into a log. Cut into twelve rounds and press each into a muffin cup, forming thin shells.
6
Fill each pastry shell three-quarters full with custard. Bake at 230 degrees Celsius for fifteen minutes until pastry is golden and custard has dark spots.

💡

Did You Know?

East Timor is one of only two countries in Asia with a strong pastry tradition inherited from Portugal, the other being Macau.

Chef's Notes

Equipment Tips

muffin tin
rolling pin
saucepan
whisk
oven

Garnishing

dusting of cinnamon

Accompaniments

Timorese coffee, black tea

The Story Behind Pastel de Nata Timor

Pastel de nata arrived in Timor with Portuguese colonizers and became deeply embedded in the coffee culture of Dili and other towns. While the recipe follows the classic Lisbon template, Timorese versions sometimes incorporate local vanilla and use slightly less sugar. The tarts are inextricably linked with Timorese coffee, which itself is one of the country's most important exports and cultural touchstones.

🕐 Traditionally enjoyed morning coffee, afternoon snack 📜 Origins: Portuguese colonial era

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