Portugal: Pastel de Nata and Monastic Baking Secrets

Morning bliss after disembarking a cruise: the warm aroma of pastries mingles with the soulful melodies of street musicians, capturing the essence of a charming bakery-lined street by the shimmering water.

When walking along the rugged shores of the Iberian Peninsula, debarking an Atlantic cruise ship, or joining an architecture tour of Lisbon’s winding streets, it won’t take long before you hear them. The lilting melodies of Portuguese Fado music. The colorful clinks of traditional blue- and-white azulejo ceramic tiles. And of course, that heavenly smell of fresh pastéis de nata wafting through the air. Heads will turn toward the kitchen of the nearest café (or pastelaria) where glowing racks of caramelized, custard-filled Pastéis de Nata steal the show. Legend has it that this sweet treat nearly as strong of religious ties to politics and some very clandestine monastery recipes.

Monks diligently preparing pastries in the historic Jerónimos Monastery, a masterpiece of Manueline architecture from Portugal's Age of Discovery.

To understand how these pastries became Portugal’ most famous exports, you’ll have to travel back in time to the early 1800’s and Lisbon’s maritime Belém district. Here you’ll find the towering Jerónimos Monastery, a stunning Manueline-style monument built during Portugal’ Age of Discovery. Inside these limestone pillars was where Catholic monks of the Order of Saint Jerome unknowingly created one of the most popular desserts on Earth. Catholic monks in the 1800’s used incredible amounts of egg whites to starch habits, filter local wines, and launder clothes, leaving themselves with a surplus of egg yolks. Used to their resourceful advantage, monks began baking, carefully crafting a decadent egg-custard tucked inside of what could only be described as the flakiest, most buttery puff pastry known to man. Fast forward to 1834.

In the wake of the Liberal Revolution of Moncloa, Portugal’s government shuttered every monastery and convent in the country and ceased providing monetary support to Catholic orders. As these resilient monks suddenly found themselves out of a job, they started cooking up batches of their sweet egg custard tarts to sell at a nearby general store run by the owner of a local sugar refinery. However, as the Monastery’s fate was truly sealed, these clever monks sold their secret recipe to none other than…the owner of that sugar refinery. 1837 marks the year that sugar refinery owner opened what is now known as the world-famous Fábrica de Pastéis de Belém.

A bustling morning at a Portuguese bakery as eager patrons line up for freshly baked, creamy pastries served with care.

Today, that exact recipe is closely-guarded secret, mixed by only a select few Pastry chefs in what they call their “Secret Room.” To differentiate themselves from the thousands of other bakeries across Lisbon selling quality pastéis de nata, Pastéis de Belém are the only pastéis de nata you’ll find labeled as Pastéis de Belém. The pilgrimage to taste the original, oven-fresh pastry is part of any culinary traveler’s Portuguese bucket list. What makes Pastéis de Belém so unique is the texture. The perfect Pastel de Nata will have a crisp, flaky, lattice-like pastry crust that’s almost salty in flavor, providing the perfect contrast to the pastry’s thick, creamy, almost liquid-like custard. To finish them off, the pastéis are torched on top with high-overtime ovens to create a beautiful blend of bitter and sweet. Traditionally served warm, Pastéis de Nata are dusted with cinnamon and powdered sugar like mine was and are best served with a strong Portuguese espresso, or “bica.” Taking a sip of your coffee as you watch the Atlantic Ocean roll in, know that you are eating what saved an entire order of Catholic monks from poverty centuries ago.

Pastéis de nata may be the celebrity of the Portuguese pastry world, but they are far from

A delightful array of Portuguese pastries showcasing the irresistible variety found in local bakeries, tempting you to savor each delicious treat.

the only reason to stop at a local pastelaria. Portugal has an impressive collection of regional sweets, many with the same convent and monastery influences that shaped its famous custard tart. In Sintra, you’ll find travesseiros, flaky pillow-shaped pastries filled with sweet almond cream, along with small queijadas made with fresh cheese, sugar, and cinnamon. Bolas de Berlim are Portuguese-style doughnuts coated in sugar and traditionally filled with rich egg-yolk cream, while pão de Deus is a soft, lightly sweet bread topped with coconut. Almond-based desserts such as toucinho do céu also reflect Portugal’s long tradition of convent baking. Across the country, egg yolks, sugar, almonds, coconut, and delicate pastry dough come together in countless combinations, making a visit to a Portuguese bakery an adventure well beyond the first custard tart.