Portuguese Egg Tart Delight (Printable Version)

Crisp phyllo cups filled with creamy cinnamon custard and a touch of powdered sugar.

# What You Need:

→ Phyllo Cups

01 - 12 sheets phyllo pastry
02 - 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

→ Custard Filling

03 - 1 cup whole milk
04 - 2 tbsp cornstarch
05 - ½ cup heavy cream
06 - ½ cup granulated sugar
07 - 4 large egg yolks
08 - 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
09 - ½ tsp ground cinnamon
10 - Pinch of salt

→ Topping

11 - 1 tsp ground cinnamon
12 - 2 tbsp powdered sugar

# Steps:

01 - Set the oven to 400°F (200°C).
02 - Brush each phyllo sheet lightly with melted butter. Stack three sheets and cut into squares sized to fit muffin tin cups. Repeat to form 12 stacks.
03 - Press each stack gently into the cups of a 12-cup muffin tin to create pastry shells.
04 - Bake the phyllo cups for 8 to 10 minutes until lightly golden. Remove and allow to cool slightly.
05 - In a medium saucepan, whisk together milk and cornstarch until smooth. Add heavy cream, sugar, egg yolks, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt.
06 - Heat the mixture over medium, whisking constantly until it thickens, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat.
07 - Divide the warm custard evenly among the baked phyllo cups.
08 - Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until the custard sets and turns lightly golden on top.
09 - Cool slightly, then dust with cinnamon and powdered sugar before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The contrast between crispy phyllo and silky custard is genuinely addictive—once you have one, you'll reach for another.
  • They look impressive enough to serve to guests but are surprisingly forgiving if you're honest about small imperfections.
  • Twenty minutes of actual hands-on work for a dessert that tastes like it came from a professional pastry shop.
02 -
  • Phyllo is forgiving if you treat it with respect—one torn sheet won't ruin your tart, and stacking three means you have built-in insurance against small mishaps.
  • The custard must be warm when it goes into the shells; cold custard will cook unevenly and might not set properly into that creamy texture you're after.
  • Overcooking the custard by just two minutes turns it from silky to rubbery, so set a timer and trust it over your instincts the first time.
03 -
  • A tiny pinch of lemon zest in the custard adds brightness without announcing itself—Portuguese bakers know this secret well, and it's worth trying once you feel confident.
  • Invest in a good pastry brush with soft bristles; it makes buttering phyllo a pleasure instead of a frustration, and the brushing becomes meditative rather than tedious.
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