There’s something so satisfying about biting into a freshly baked Portuguese Egg Tart. The flaky, buttery pastry shatters delicately with every bite, giving way to a smooth, creamy custard with those beautiful golden spots on top. While these bakery favourites may look impressive, they're surprisingly achievable at home with a little patience and a few simple ingredients.

Making them at home takes a little time, but the process is surprisingly rewarding, and the results are definitely worth it! The secret lies in the homemade laminated pastry, which creates those beautiful flaky layers, and a smooth custard that bakes into the signature golden, lightly caramelised top. Whether you're serving them with your morning coffee, sharing them with family, or simply treating yourself to something special, these Portuguese Egg Tarts are worth the effort and taste even better fresh from the oven 🥰.

Tip #1

💡Keep Everything Cold

For the flakiest pastry, make sure the butter stays cold throughout the folding process. If the dough starts feeling soft or sticky while rolling, pop it back into the refrigerator for 10–15 minutes before continuing.

Tip #2

💡 Cool the Custard Before Filling

Allow the custard to cool completely before spooning it into the pastry shells. Warm custard can soften the pastry layers and make them less crisp after baking.

Tip #3

💡Don't Overfill the Tart Shells

Fill each pastry shell to about 90–95% full, leaving a small gap at the top. The custard will puff slightly as it bakes, and leaving a little room helps prevent spills while still giving you that beautifully full bakery-style appearance. It also allows the surface to develop those classic caramelised spots more evenly.

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Portuguese Egg Tart Recipe

Preparation Time: 1 hour

Bake Time: 20 minutes

Chilling Time: 2 hours

Yield: 12 pieces

Ingredients

Pastry:

1 ¼ cups (175g) all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup (170g) butter, cubed & chilled
7 tbsp cold water

Filling:

½ cup (118ml) heavy cream
½ cup (115g) white sugar
1 ¼ cups (300ml) whole milk
2 egg yolks
5 tsp (11g) corn starch
1 ¼ tsp vanilla extract

Preparation

Make the Pastry:

In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour and salt. Add the chilled, cubed butter and rub into the flour using your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
Drizzle in 7 tbsp of cold water, mixing with a fork until the dough begins to come together. Add a little more water if necessary, just enough to form a cohesive dough.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll into a 6x15 inch rectangle. Perform a book fold by bringing one short end toward the centre, then the other over it, like folding a letter. Wrap in plastic and chill for 1 hour.
Second Fold: Roll out to 6x15 inches, fold as before, and chill for another 30 minutes.
Third Fold: Roll out to 6x15 inches, fold again, then roll into a final 10x12 inch rectangle. Roll up the dough tightly from the long side, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes or overnight.

Make the Filling:

In a saucepan, combine heavy cream, sugar, milk, egg yolks, corn starch, and vanilla extract. Whisk until sugar dissolves.
Place over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon but is still pourable. Remove from heat and continue whisking until the mixture cools slightly. Sift and let cool completely.

Assembly and Baking:

Preheat your oven to 230°C (446°F).
Slice the chilled pastry log into 12 equal pieces. Press each into lightly greased tart molds or cupcake pans, forming thin shells.
Spoon the cooled custard into each pastry shell, filling nearly to the top.
Bake for about 20 minutes. If the pastry or custard begins to brown too quickly, turn off the oven and allow the tarts to finish cooking in the residual heat for an additional 10 minutes.
Cool: Remove from the oven, let cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.