pasteis de nata (portuguese custard tarts)

Pasteis de Nata
makes 12

2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp sugar
10 tbsp chilled butter, cut into small cubes
7 tbsp cold water
Custard:
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup sugar
6 egg yolks

Make the pastry: in the bowl of a food processor, pulse the flour, salt and sugar to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the flour resembles coarse, uneven cornmeal. Drizzle the water in, and pulse. Roll out the dough and chill for at least an hour.
Preheat oven to 350 F. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough and cut into 12 circles, which you then ease into a 12-cup nonstick muffin tin. Place in the freezer for 5 minutes. Remove any trim or overhang, and line with cupcake papers. Fill with dried beans, and bake in preheated oven for about 10 minutes to set.
Make the custard: dissolve the cornstarch in about 1/4 cup of the cream. Add the remaining cream and sugar, and stir until the mixture is smooth and the sugar dissolves. In a separate bowl, blend the yolks until smooth. Add the yolks to the cream mixture stirring gently to combine.
Pour the mixture into the partially baked pastry cups, filling them about 3/4 full. Bake at 350 F until the edges of the custard are puffed and the middle is still jiggly, about 25 minutes. Cool in the tin.
Best eaten the same day.

And what to do with the egg whites? Meringues, maybe? (Recipe below)
(At Dan's.)


And there were many salads, graciously provided by Dan.

On the seesaw.