Comments on: Bill Granger’s Portuguese custard tarts

By: Not Quite Nigella

Not Quite Nigella — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 11:22:48 +0000

Hi Dorcas-Hmmm perhaps your oven temperature is slightly lower than it should be (ovens usually are a bit off, mine is hotter than it says it is). Perhaps try turning it up 10 degrees and baking it on the top rack

By: Dorcas

Dorcas — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 21:09:47 +0000

Hi NQN,
I make these tart last night, they taste great, but they don’t brown on top like those you make, why is that? Do you sprinkle sugar on top?
Please advise me as i really LOVES these tart.
Cheers.

By: Not Quite Nigella

Not Quite Nigella — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 12:20:01 +0000

Hi Deb-I think you might be mistaken I didn’t state that it was 4 sheets. His recipe is for 300g of puff pastry which is 2 sheets, not 4.

In any case, welcome

By: Deb

Deb — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 12:10:42 +0000

Hi I just watched this ep on the Food channel and searched the net for a recipe - thus I found yours. Bill used only 2 sheets of pastry on top of each other also. Not sure where you got the idea that it was 4…? Anyway, glad I found your site, looks like we are neighbours too

By: Not Quite Nigella » The Union Square Cafe’s Bar Nuts

Not Quite Nigella » The Union Square Cafe’s Bar Nuts — Thu, 29 May 2008 03:32:36 +0000

[...] my father will voluntarily eat without the added persuasion of guilt is these particular nuts and Portuguese custard tarts. Indeed, I gave him a huge jar of these for his birthday and he happily polished them off in no [...]

By: Not Quite Nigella

Not Quite Nigella — Fri, 16 May 2008 14:45:51 +0000

Hi Ann-It is an expensive addition if you’re buying them from the store indeed! I wonder if a paper bag instead of an airtight container would help absorb some of the moisture? Also I think puff pastry with some sugar in it crisps up a bit more due to the sugar syrup but I’m guessing there. Or even try keeping one of those moisture sachets, not touching any of the food, in the container would help absorb the moisture?

By: Ann

Ann — Thu, 15 May 2008 10:47:58 +0000

Hi, I was buying these from a little old portuguese lady but found our addiction was too expensive to keep buying - hence I found your recipe BUT my pastry doesn’t stay nice and crisp - it goes all soft after a very short time even in an airtight container after cooling - what am I doing wrong?

By: Not Quite Nigella

Not Quite Nigella — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 23:34:35 +0000

Hi Rozanne-Yes I love meddling and tinkering too. Ahhh ok, yes I can see how that would produce a more even, professional looking pastry. Mine is a little errrm rustic

I made these with some lime juice and zest for Christmas and they were a refreshing alternative!

By: rozanne

rozanne — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 22:08:51 +0000

I made these sometime ago, but lost the recipe.
I like your personal adjustments and meddling is fun (only when it works). However I do cut the pastry differently. When I first made these I found that pastry has be placed in one piece in each of the cupcake tin so I found a suitable round utensil, place it on pastry and cut around it. Once done, I cut a slit half way in the circle, then place in the cupcake tin. The slits help the pastry sit nicely in the container.

By: Not Quite Nigella

Not Quite Nigella — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 03:33:14 +0000

Hi Kate-I haven’t really encountered that with the oil floating on top as I don’t use cream in them at all but I think that sometimes custard gets a layer of oil on top if there is too much butter used and cream is like butter so perhaps that is it?