Air Fryer Recipe
Portuguese Custard Tarts
Portuguese custard tarts, or Pastéis de Nata, are a lovely little treat, with crisp, flaky pastry and a soft creamy filling that works beautifully in the air fryer.
Ingredients
- 250g ready-rolled puff pastry
- 6 large egg yolks
- 200g granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon plain flour
- 300ml whole milk
- 150ml water
- 1 cinnamon stick
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Butter, for greasing
Method
- Put the sugar and water in a saucepan, add the cinnamon stick and lemon zest, bring to the boil, then simmer for 5 minutes.
- In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks, flour and a splash of milk together to make a smooth paste.
- Warm the remaining milk, then whisk it into the egg yolk mixture.
- Remove the cinnamon stick from the syrup, then stir the syrup into the egg yolk mixture.
- Cook the mixture over a low heat until thickened, stir in the vanilla extract, then set aside to cool.
- Roll the puff pastry into a log, slice it into 2 cm sections, grease the muffin tin, then press the pastry slices into the tin to make cups.
- Preheat the air fryer to 180°C (356°F), then fill the pastry cups with the custard mixture.
- Air fry for 15 minutes, until the custard is set and the pastry is crisp.
- Let the tarts cool slightly before lifting them from the tin.
Why this works in an air fryer
The air fryer’s fast convection dries and crisps the exposed puff pastry while the muffin tin shields the sides enough for butter layers to lift rather than slump. A flour-thickened yolk custard sets gently; the sugar syrup raises the setting temperature, helping give a glossy, slightly blistered top without scrambling.
Equipment notes
Assumes a 5–6 litre basket that fits a 6-hole metal muffin tin or silicone cups with air space around them; in a single-drawer model cook one tin centred and rotate at 10 minutes, while dual-zone drawers usually run less aggressively, so cook smaller batches and expect 2–4 minutes longer.
Common pitfalls
- Custard looks grainy or split before filling? The syrup or milk was added too hot, or the pan heat was too fierce; strain it through a sieve and keep the thickening stage below a simmer next time.
- Pastry bottoms are pale and soft after 15 minutes? The tin is blocking heat from below or the cups are overfilled; cook 3–5 minutes longer at 180°C, and fill only to just below the pastry rim.
- Tops are browned but custard still wobbles like liquid in the centre? The air fryer is running hot at the surface; drop to 160°C and cook another 4–6 minutes so the centre can set without scorching.
- Pastry cups shrink down the tin sides? The pastry was warm or stretched while pressing; chill the formed cups for 10 minutes before filling and press from the centre outwards rather than pulling the edges up.
Variations & substitutions
- Use orange zest instead of lemon for a rounder, sweeter citrus note; it will not change timing but can make the custard taste less sharp.
- Swap the cinnamon stick for a strip of vanilla pod or a pinch of ground nutmeg; ground spices darken the custard slightly and can make browning appear faster than it is.
- Use all-butter puff pastry if available; it browns more deeply and may need checking 2 minutes earlier because butter solids colour quickly in an air fryer.
- Make mini tarts in a mini muffin tin by using thinner pastry slices and less filling; start checking at 9–10 minutes as the custard sets much faster.
Storage & reheating
Keep cooled tarts in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, then reheat in the air fryer at 160°C for 4–6 minutes to re-crisp the pastry without overcooking the custard.
Nutrition
Calories: 250
