Pastéis de Nata at Fábrica de Nata
Fábrica de Nata was established in March 2016 in Lisbon to showcase the rich tradition of the pastéis de nata, one of Portugal's most iconic pastries. It was voted as Traveler’s Choice in 2023 by TripAdvisor and is recognized as the best in the country for pastéis de nata.
The cafe’s success led to the opening of locations across Lisbon, Porto, and Sintra in the following years. Here, visitors and locals alike can enjoy authentic Portuguese custard tarts for around 1 euro.
The history of pastéis de nata dates back to the 17th and 18th centuries. They were originally created by monks at the Jeronimos Monastery in Belem, Lisbon. They used egg whites to starch their clothes, leaving them with an excess of egg yolks. They used the yolks to create pastéis de nata and other desserts to avoid waste. To confront financial hardships, the monks began selling these custard tarts to the public. In 1837, the recipe was passed down to a bakery called Pasteis de Belem, which became world famous for these treats.
The first written reference to a recipe resembling the current one was found in the notebook of Abbess D. Bernardina da Conceição, who was the abbess of the convent of Odivelas, near Lisbon. The notebook’s first page is dedicated to pastéis de nata, presenting one version to be served hot and another to be served cold.
The ingredients for pastéis de nata are simple yet important to achieve their iconic flavor and texture:
Puff Pastry:
Flour
Water
Butter or margarine (for creating the flaky layers)
Custard Filling:
Egg yolks
Sugar
Milk
Flour (to thicken the custard)
Lemon zest (optional, for added flavor)
Cinnamon (optional, sometimes added to the custard or dusted on top)
I usually don’t like pastries because of their high sugar content, but this one is to die for. I had one fresh out of the oven, and it had the perfect balance of textures - the dough is rolled into thin layers, forming a crispy shell, while the custard is silky smooth and creamy. I highly recommend trying one when you visit!
This Fabrica de Nata is in Santa Catarina Street. Here is the address:
R. de Santa Catarina, 331-335, Porto, Portugal
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