Cheat’s Portuguese Custard Tarts

A super-simple take on the classic Pastéis de Nata. If your pastry is all-butter or butter enriched, leave at room temperature for 10min before unrolling.

Hands-on time 15min, plus chilling and cooling. Cooking time about 20min. Makes 12

320g sheet puff pastry

Plain flour, to dust

350g fresh vanilla custard, such as Waitrose Madagascan Vanilla

1⁄4tsp ground cinnamon

Finely grated zest 1⁄4 lemon

1 Preheat oven to 240°C (220°C fan) mark 9. Unroll pastry and fold in 1⁄2, short edge to short edge. Roll pastry up tightly, starting from the joined short edges, to form a log. Wrap in the baking parchment the pastry came in and chill for 5-10min, to firm up.

2 Meanwhile, mix the custard, cinnamon and lemon zest in a jug.

3 Unwrap the pastry log and cut into 12 x 2cm discs. Lightly flour a surface and roll out the slices to rough 6-7cm circles. Line the holes of a 12-hole muffin tin with the pastry circles.

4 Divide custard mixture between the pastry cases, filling up to 5mm from the top (as the custard rises when it cooks). Bake for 20min, or until the pastry is golden and the custard is puffed and browned on top (it will sink on cooling).

5 Leave to cool in the tin for 5min before carefully running a knife around the edge of each tart to loosen, then transferring them to a cooling rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

PER TART 141cals, 2g protein, 8g fat (6g saturates), 14g carbs (3g total sugars), <1g fibre