Portuguese Egg Tarts

I had some leftover egg yolks from preparing meringue frosting for my friend’s birthday cake on Saturday. Being such a devoted egg lover, I figured that a portuguese egg tart would do good justice for the lovely yolks. The best portuguese tarts I’ve had were back in Sydney, Australia. This recipe isn’t exactly what I’ve had, but it is close enough.

Before I dive into the recipe, I must tell you why I love these particular eggs so much. Almost every Saturday, I wake up early in anticipation to buy at least a dozen fresh eggs from my local farmer’s market. There are a few egg vendors there but I like to buy from Woodring’s. The stall owner’s thirteen year old daughter, Caity, raises the chickens and packages them for her father to sell at the market. She includes all sorts of different varieties in my dozen – blue, brown and white. So pretty! I mean just look at them!!

Portuguese Egg Tarts
Recipe adapted from All Recipes.com

Ingredients
1 cup milk
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 vanilla bean
1 cup white sugar
6 egg yolks
1 (17.5 ounce) package frozen puff pastry, thawed

Method

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C.) Lightly grease 12 muffin cups and line bottom and sides with puff pastry.

In a saucepan, combine milk, cornstarch, sugar and vanilla. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens. Place egg yolks in a medium bowl. Slowly whisk 1/2 cup of hot milk mixture into egg yolks. Gradually add egg yolk mixture back to remaining milk mixture, whisking constantly. Cook, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes, or until thickened. Remove vanilla bean.

Fill pastry-lined muffin cups with mixture and bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and filling is lightly browned on top.

I like to enjoy them when they’re slightly warm. By the way, besides chicken eggs, they have duck eggs and sometimes even goose eggs. I tried the goose egg last Saturday and I already know I want another this weekend!

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