Fr Alex's Recipes for this week
For the kitchen
Giant Pastel de Nata (Portuguese Custard Tart)
INGREDIENTS
Plain flour, for dusting
500g block all-butter puff pastry
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp icing sugar, plus extra for dusting
1 egg white (reserve the yolk for the filling, below)
350ml whole milk
150ml double cream
1 large lemon, zest cut into large strips
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp vanilla bean paste or 1 split
vanilla pod
7 large egg yolks (freeze the remaining whites for another recipe)
50g plain flour
350g golden caster sugar
crème fraîche or soured cream, to serve
Method
Mix the cinnamon and icing sugar together, then sprinkle over the pastry. Roll it up tightly into a fat coil from the short end (it should look like a large cinnamon bun).
Dust lightly with extra icing sugar and roll out to a 33cm circle (the cinnamon will be rippled through the pastry and separate a little, but keep rolling, dusting with icing sugar as you go).
Line a 22-23cm springform cake tin with the pastry so it comes just over the top of the tin. Prick the base all over with a fork. Line with baking parchment, fill with baking beans and bake for 25 mins.
Remove the parchment and beans, brush with the egg white, then bake for 10-15 mins.
Meanwhile, to make the filling put the milk, cream, lemon zest, cinnamon and vanilla in a pan. Bring to a simmer, then remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 15 mins. Strain. Discard the lemon zest and cinnamon stick. Whisk the egg yolks and flour in a bowl until you have a smooth paste. Slowly whisk in the cream mixture, then return to the pan.
Warm over a medium heat, stirring continuously until thick.
Transfer to a large bowl.
Heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4. Put the caster sugar in a pan with 185ml water. Bring to a simmer and leave on a low heat until the sugar has dissolved, then bring to the boil and cook until it reaches 112°C on a sugar thermometer. Carefully whisk the syrup into the warm custard, along with a pinch of salt.
Pour the custard into the baked pastry case, and bake in the centre of the oven for 35-40 mins, or until set with a slight wobble in the centre. Heat the grill to high, then grill for 2-3 mins until blackened and blistered on top – cover the edges with foil if needed.
Leave to cool completely in the tin.
Serve with crème fraîche or soured cream.
For the bar
Daiquiri