Pastel de Nata

Make the syrup for the custard: in a saucepan, combine 160 g sugar, 80 ml water, a cinnamon stick and 1 tsp lemon zest. Bring to a boil, then cook over medium heat without stirring for 5-7 minutes, until the syrup reaches 103-105°C and thickens slightly. Remove from the heat, discard the cinnamon stick and zest, and let the syrup cool for 15 minutes.

In a bowl, whisk 5 egg yolks with 25 g cornstarch until you get a smooth, lump-free paste.

Heat 300 ml milk in a separate saucepan until steaming but not boiling, then pour it in a thin stream into the yolk mixture, whisking constantly.

Strain the warm syrup (discarding the cinnamon and zest) and pour it into the yolk-milk mixture, stirring until combined. Pour everything back into the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 3-5 minutes until lightly thickened — the custard should coat the back of a spoon but still be pourable. Do not let it boil. Strain the custard through a fine sieve, cover with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface, and set aside to cool.

Roll out 400 g puff pastry into a rectangle roughly 25×35 cm. Tightly roll it up into a log starting from the short edge, wrap in plastic, and freeze for 20-30 minutes, until firm enough to slice cleanly.

Preheat the oven to 250°C (its highest setting, with convection/fan if available). Cut the log into rounds about 2 cm thick. Dip each round's cut side in cold water, then use your thumbs to flatten and press it into a muffin tin cup, lining the bottom and sides so the pastry rises 3-5 mm above the rim.

Fill each pastry shell with custard to about 3/4 of its height. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until the pastry is golden and the custard surface is covered with the signature dark, almost scorched spots.

Let the pastéis de nata cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then carefully remove them. Serve warm, dusted with powdered sugar and ground cinnamon to taste.