Sintra Portuguese Cheese Custard Tarts

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Queijadas de Sintra are iconic bite-sized cheese pastries from the fairy-tale town of Sintra, just outside Lisbon. Traditionally baked in small fluted molds with a thin pastry shell and a creamy filling of fresh cheese, eggs, and lemon zest, they are crisp at the edges and softly custardy in the middle, with a faintly caramelized top dusted with cinnamon.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 185 kcalCalories
• 9 gFat
• 4 gSaturated Fat
• 22 gCarbs
• 0.5 gFiber
• 14 gSugar
• 4 gProtein
• 95 mgSodium
• 65 mgPotassium
• 60 mgCalcium
• 0.9 mgIron
• 1 mgVitamin C
• 85 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the pastry shells

• 1 sheet (about 250 g) all-butter puff pastry, thawed if frozen
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, for dusting

For the cheese filling

• 300 g fresh ricotta or farmer's cheese, well drained
• 180 g granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 large egg yolk
• 25 g all-purpose flour
• Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more for dusting
• Pinch of fine sea salt

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) and generously butter a 12-cup muffin pan or, ideally, a fluted Portuguese queijada mold (about 7 cm across each cup).
2. On a lightly floured surface, roll the puff pastry into a thin rectangle about 3 mm thick and cut out 12 rounds roughly 8 cm in diameter. Press each round into a prepared cup, pleating gently so the pastry comes about 1 cm up the sides.
3. In a blender or food processor, combine the drained ricotta, sugar, whole eggs, egg yolk, flour, lemon zest, lemon juice, cinnamon, and salt. Blend for about 30 seconds until completely smooth and slightly aerated.
4. Pour or spoon the batter into each pastry-lined cup, filling them about three-quarters full; the mixture should be just shy of the pastry rim.
5. Bake on the middle rack for 22 to 25 minutes, until the tops are puffed, lightly golden brown, and set with only a faint jiggle in the very center.
6. Remove the pan from the oven and let the tarts cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then carefully lift them out and transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
7. Dust the warm tarts generously with ground cinnamon just before serving. They are best eaten the same day, slightly warm or at room temperature.

Cook’s Notes

• For the most authentic flavor, seek out requeijao (Portuguese fresh sheep's milk curd cheese); well-drained ricotta is the closest substitute.
• Draining the cheese for at least 1 hour in cheesecloth is essential, or the filling will weep and the shells will turn soggy.
• If you do not have a fluted queijada mold, a standard muffin tin works well; just trim the pastry rounds a little smaller so the edges don't overflow.
• Do not overbake: the centers should remain just set and slightly creamy, never dry, which is the hallmark of a true Sintra queijada.
• Leftovers keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 day, or refrigerated up to 3 days; revive with 5 minutes in a 170°C (340°F) oven.

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