I've adapted Emeril Lagasse's recipe from FoodNetwork.com and David Leite's recipe from the book The New Portuguese Table. I added my own twist. My favorite pasteis de Belem always had a slight hint of orange flavor in them. So I added orange extract to the custard. I didn't want to add fresh orange juice as I was worried that the citric acid would curdle the eggs, disrupting the creaminess of the custard. The result: one of the best desserts I have ever made.
A special thanks to Eggland's Best and Food Buzz who provided me with a carton of Eggland's Best eggs in order to make some recipes with them. This opportunity encouraged me to make something I never thought I'd be able to do on my own!
Ingredients and Materials:
A package of Pepperidge Farm's Puff Pastry*
(thawed in the refrigerator)
Dry Beans, preferably small ones
Cupcake liners
Regular sized Muffin/Cupcake tin
Custard:
6 Eggland's Best Eggs, Yolks Only
3/4 cup of sugar
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1-1/2 cups of heavy cream
1 heaping tablespoon of cornstarch
1 teaspoon of Orange Extract
Cinammon
Makes 18 Pasteis
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Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Lay out 2 sheets of your puff pastry. Cut each sheet into 9 squares, total of 18 squares.
Place each individual squares into the muffin molds and shape into the mold so that the pastry is even on the bottom and all the way up the sides. Please make sure the pastry goes up to the very top. Also, make sure there is no air bubble at the bottom. The more even you can get the dough, the better the pastry cup will come out.
Once you get them all in the molds, add cupcake liners to the centers of each. Fill each liner with small dry beans (you can use rice, but beans are easier). The weight of the beans will hold down the pastry, preventing it from puffing up too much. Bake the pastry cups in the oven for 20 minutes. Set aside and cool.
In a small mixing bowl, add the 6 Eggland's Best egg yolks, sugar and salt. Whisk until thoroughly incorporated.
Then add cornstarch and mix thoroughly into the sugared yolk mixture. Add the orange extract and the heavy cream. Whisk until fully incoporated.
Discard the cupcake liners and beans. Fill the individual pastry cups with the egg mixture. Put back in oven for 20 minutes. Let cool for about 5-10 minutes so that the custard sets. Sprinkle with cinammon. These are fine either warm or cold. They are just absolutely delicious.
1 comment:
These look delish! I have to try this recipe...makes me think of Chinese Egg Tarts, which I love!
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