Portuguese Egg Tart Delight (Printable Version)

Flaky phyllo cups filled with creamy cinnamon custard and dusted with powdered sugar.

# What You'll Need:

→ Phyllo Cups

01 - 12 sheets phyllo pastry
02 - 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

→ Custard Filling

03 - 1 cup whole milk
04 - 2 tbsp cornstarch
05 - ½ cup heavy cream
06 - ½ cup granulated sugar
07 - 4 large egg yolks
08 - 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
09 - ½ tsp ground cinnamon
10 - Pinch of salt

→ Topping

11 - 1 tsp ground cinnamon
12 - 2 tbsp powdered sugar

# How To Make It:

01 - Set oven temperature to 400°F (200°C) to prepare for baking.
02 - Lightly brush each phyllo sheet with melted butter. Stack three sheets and cut into squares large enough to line muffin tin cups. Repeat to create twelve stacks.
03 - Gently press each phyllo stack into the cups of a 12-cup muffin tin, forming pastry shells.
04 - Bake shells for 8 to 10 minutes until lightly golden. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.
05 - In a medium saucepan, whisk milk and cornstarch until smooth. Add heavy cream, sugar, egg yolks, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and salt.
06 - Heat mixture over medium heat, whisking constantly until thickened, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat.
07 - Evenly divide the warm custard among the baked phyllo cups.
08 - Return to oven and bake for 8 to 10 minutes until custard is set and tops are lightly golden.
09 - Allow to cool slightly, then dust with cinnamon and powdered sugar before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • That first bite—crispy shell meeting creamy custard—never gets old, and you can make it happen in your own kitchen.
  • The cinnamon and vanilla create this nostalgic warmth that somehow feels both indulgent and comforting at the same time.
02 -
  • The phyllo will dry out and crack if you're not quick—working in batches of 3 sheets and keeping the rest covered is not optional, it's survival.
  • Your custard must thicken on medium heat with constant whisking; rushing the heat or skipping the whisking leads to scrambled eggs or a thin filling that runs everywhere.
03 -
  • Keep your phyllo covered with a barely damp kitchen towel while you work—it sounds fussy, but it's the difference between workable pastry and crumbly frustration.
  • If your custard seems thick enough before 5 minutes, stop cooking immediately; it thickens more as it cools, and overcooked custard becomes grainy and loses its silky charm.
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