Pasties de Nata

Description
This recipe taken from www.Portuguese-recipes.com

Ingredients

 * 500 g flour
 * 300 g water
 * 10 g salt
 * 400 g margarine appropriate for pastries

Directions

 * 1) Work the flour with water and salt, make a ball, cut it in the shape of a cross until its middle.
 * 2) Pull the 4 sides outwards (forming a 4 point star), place the margarine in the centre and grab the points upwards;
 * 3) With a pastry roller extend the mixture till up to 40x15 cm, fold 1W3 (simple fold) wait 10 minutes and fold again, fold 1x4 (book fold) wait 10 minutes.
 * 4) Extend the mixture until it gets a thickness of + or - 4 mm, sprinkle with water in all its extension.
 * 5) Roll it like a tort and with a diameter of + or - 4 cm, cut it in round slices 1 cm thick and place them in the containers, wait 10 minutes.
 * 6) Wet your thumb with water, press the centre of the round slice and push the mixture to the top of the container.
 * 7) The containers we mean are those of the samesize as custard tarts we buy in pastry shops.

Custard cream (difficult):


 * 1/2 liter skim milk
 * 70 g flour (no raising powder)
 * 5 g cornflour (Maizena - cornstarch)
 * 1/2 liter sugar syrup
 * 5 egg yolks
 * 1 egg
 * vanilla (a bit)


 * 1) To prepare the sugar syrup: 1 kg Sugar, 1/2 liter boiling water.
 * 2) Dissolve the flour and the corn flour in part of the milk, approx. 1 dl, boil the remaining of the milk.
 * 3) Pour it over the four and mix energetically so that it does not crumble.
 * 4) Add the sugar syrup bit by bit, always stirring. Add the yolks and the egg.
 * 5) Cook at approx. 350F for about 8 minutes, not more.

Custard cream (easier):


 * 1/2 liter skim milk
 * 275 g Sugar
 * 35 g flour (no raising powder)
 * salt (a bit)
 * margarine (a bit)
 * 5 yolks
 * 1 egg


 * 1) Heat the milk together with the bit of margarine.
 * 2) In a dry container mix the flour with the Sugar and the salt.
 * 3) When the milk starts boiling add the mixture, stirring energetically.
 * 4) Take it out of the heat and let it cool a bit, add the yolks and the egg; mix a bit of vanilla or lemon.
 * 5) Cook in oven at 290F-300F for 8 minutes.
 * 6) Not more or the filling will come out of the pastries.