Perfect Authentic Portuguese Custard Tart

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Roll out the puff pastry. Cut out circles larger than the tins in your baking tray. Press the circles into the tins. Brush melted butter over the pastry shells. Set aside.

In a pan, heat the milk with the cinnamon stick and lemon zest. Bring it to a gentle simmer and then remove from heat. Let the flavors infuse for about 10 minutes. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, flour, and vanilla extract. Pour the warm milk mixture into the egg mixture while whisking constantly.

Return the custard mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon until it thickens to a custard consistency. This should take around 5 minutes. Remove from heat and discard the cinnamon stick.

Pour the custard filling into the prepared pastry shells, filling them about ¾ full. Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 20 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and the custard is set.

While the tarts are baking, in a small saucepan, combine the granulated sugar and water. Cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar melts and turns a golden amber color. Be careful not to burn it.

Once the tarts are baked, carefully remove them from the oven and let them cool for a few minutes. Drizzle a small amount of the caramelized sugar over each tart, spreading it evenly.

Serve the Portuguese Tarts warm or chilled, sprinkled with powdered sugar and a dash of cinnamon on top.