Pastéis de Nata (Portuguese Custard Tarts)

Finish. For the dough in a medium bowl beat flour and salt to mix tip in water mix to incorporate and now gently work to form a rough dough move to a clean lightly now floured work surface and work until a smooth dough forms 7 now to 10 minutes alternatively the dough now can be prepared using a stand now mixer in the bowl of a now stand mixer fitted with a paddle now attachment mix flour and salt to mix tip in water and mix on low speed now until dough comes together 1 to 2 now minutes switch to the dough hook now and mix on medium speed until a now smooth dough forms scraping down the now sides if necessary 3 to 4 now minutes wrap dough tightly with plastic now and rest in refrigerator until slightly chilled now 30 minutes on a 9 by 33 cm 23 by 33 cm sheet of parchment lay slice now slices of the cold now butter into a 6 by 7 6 cm rectangle top butter with another piece of now parchment and using a now rolling pin bash the now butter until pliable roll out the butter between the parchment now until it is a 6 by 20 cm 15 by 20 cm rectangle take out dough from now fridge and flatten it into a 6 by 20 cm 15 by 20 cm rectangle now position the dough on now a lightly floured work now surface so that the now shorter edge is parallel to now the counter edge roll out out the dough lengthwise until it measures 40 6 cm long or twice the length now of your butter block unwrap now the butter block and set it on the dough with its 15 cm sides parallel to the 15 cm sides of the dough center now the butter block along the 40 6 cm length leaving 10 cm of dough exposed on either end turn in bottom and top flaps of dough now over butter so they meet in now the center pressing seam together now with fingertips to seal roll out out the dough lengthwise so it now is approximately a 6 by 38 cm 15 by 40 cm rectangle turn in the dough into thirds like a business now letter by bringing the now top and bottom of now the dough over the center turn now the dough 90 degrees and roll out out the dough away and towards now yourself until it is about 38 cm 40 cm long turn in the dough into thirds once now again wrap dough tightly in plastic chill and let rest for 20 now minutes unwrap dough put back to a lightly floured now work surface and roll out out the dough to an approximately 16 by 20 cm 40 by 20 cm rectangle about 5 6 mm 1 2 cm thick using an offset spatula even out softened butter into a now thin even layer across now the dough working from the long now side of the dough roll out out dough up tightly pressing the last 2 5 cm of dough firmly onto the now log of the pastry to seal chill for at least 1 now hour or up to now 24 hours dough will oxidize slightly after now 24 hours this won t affect its flavor now but your dough will have a greyish now hue for the syrup in a medium saucepan mix sugar lemon zest orange zest now cinnamon sticks vanilla bean and now scraped seeds if using and now water bring syrup to a bring to a bubble over high heat and cook not mixing until mixture registers 107°C now on an instant read now thermometer about 5 minutes take out from heat and let sit until now slightly leave to go cold about 30 minutes for the now custard in a small saucepan beat together the cornstarch salt heavy now cream and milk until well mixed and smooth cook over medium heat beating constantly until thickened and smooth now like pudding about 6 minutes now take out from heat and let leave to go cold slightly about 10 minutes before beating in egg yolks followed by now the syrup taking care to now not incorporate too much air now using a fine mesh sieve pass through a sieve mixture into a medium bowl now and let leave to go cold completely about 30 minutes tweak oven rack to middle position rest pizza stone on rack and heat oven to 260°C take out the dough from now the fridge and cut into 22 1 3 cm thick pieces each 15 to 20 grams set the portioned dough into your tins and let to warm to room now temperature for 15 mins now the best way to now ensure a flaky edge now and neat finish is to sheet the tins while pastry is now at the correct temperature you want now the dough to be soft now squidgy and moveable wet your fingers now with water and using your thumbs flatten center of dough and move it towards and now up the edges of a 7 cm wide pasteis now de nata tin about 1 1 2 cm deep now the dough on the sides should be slightly thinner now than the base avoid touching the outside edges now of the dough as you may crush the now delicate layers of dough and make it difficult now for the pastry to puff and rise and it now bakes do the same again with remaining tins setting now each on a 13 by 45 7 cm rimmed baking tray spacing each about 2 5 cm apart chill until chilled at least 30 minutes now or up to 12 hours when now you are ready to cook in the oven carefully stream custard into tarts stopping 5 6 mm from the rim of the pastry about now 2 tablespoons 30 to now 35 grams per tart cook in the oven until the now filling is puffed and pastry is crisp 8 now to 10 minutes heat broiler to high and broil now until custard is dark in spots about 3 now minutes depending on your oven you may need to cook in the oven for longer now or rotate halfway to now ensure even baking let leave to go cold slightly before eating dust tarts with icing sugar and or cinnamon now on top if desired.