Portuguese Egg Tarts (Printer-friendly)

Flaky phyllo cups filled with creamy cinnamon custard, topped with powdered sugar.

# What You'll Need:

→ Phyllo Cups

01 - 12 sheets phyllo pastry
02 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

→ Custard Filling

03 - 1 cup whole milk
04 - 2 tablespoons cornstarch
05 - ½ cup heavy cream
06 - ½ cup granulated sugar
07 - 4 large egg yolks
08 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
09 - ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
10 - Pinch of salt

→ Topping

11 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
12 - 2 tablespoons powdered sugar

# Directions:

01 - Set the oven temperature to 400°F (200°C) to prepare for baking.
02 - Lightly brush each phyllo sheet with melted butter. Stack three sheets, then cut into squares to fit muffin cups. Repeat to create twelve stacks.
03 - Press each stacked square gently into the cups of a 12-cup muffin tin to form shells.
04 - Bake the phyllo-lined tins for 8–10 minutes, until shells turn lightly golden. Remove and cool slightly.
05 - In a medium saucepan, whisk milk and cornstarch until smooth. Add cream, sugar, egg yolks, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt, stirring to combine.
06 - Heat the mixture over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 5–7 minutes. Remove from heat immediately.
07 - Distribute the warm custard evenly among the pre-baked phyllo cups.
08 - Return filled tins to the oven and bake for 8–10 minutes until custard is set and lightly golden on top.
09 - Allow tarts to cool briefly, then dust with ground cinnamon and powdered sugar before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The phyllo cups bake twice, giving you that perfect crispy-then-creamy texture that feels fancy but is honestly quite forgiving.
  • Cinnamon and vanilla transform what could be a plain custard into something that smells like a bakery decided to move into your kitchen.
  • These freeze beautifully, so you can make a batch on Sunday and feel like a hero when someone stops by on Thursday.
02 -
  • If your custard starts to look grainy or lumpy while cooking, take it off the heat immediately and whisk it off the burner; continuing to cook will only make it worse.
  • The custard will seem thin when it's done cooking, but it thickens significantly as it cools—resist the urge to cook it longer or you'll end up with scrambled eggs instead of custard.
  • Phyllo is forgiving if you treat it gently, but it tears easily when cold, so keep it at room temperature and covered until the moment you use it.
03 -
  • For a subtle twist, add a tiny pinch of lemon zest to the custard filling—it brightens everything without making the tarts taste citrusy.
  • If you accidentally overbake the custard and it's looking a bit firm on top, don't panic; it will still taste creamy once it cools.
Return