Portuguese Egg Tart (Pastel de Nata)

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut in cold butter cubes until mixture resembles coarse, wet sand. Gradually add cold water, tossing with a fork until dough holds together when pressed.
2. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 1/4-in.-thick rectangle. Sprinkle half the frozen, grated butter over the bottom two-thirds of the dough. Then, fold the top third down and the bottom third up, as if folding a brochure.
3. Turn the folded dough 90 degrees and roll it out into a 1/4-in.-thick rectangle again. Repeat, adding the remaining frozen butter to the bottom two-thirds again and folding like a brochure. Tightly wrap the dough and refrigerate 30 minutes.
4. Repeat process of rolling, turning and folding the pastry 2 more times (without adding more butter). Wrap and refrigerate for another 30 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring 1 cup milk to a simmer. In a large bowl, whisk flour and remaining 1/4 cup milk until smooth. Whisk the hot milk into the bowl until evenly combined. Set aside.
6. In another small saucepan, combine sugar, water, cinnamon stick and lemon peel; bring to a boil. Without stirring, continue to heat until a candy thermometer reads 220°. Remove from the heat. Discard cinnamon stick and lemon peel.
7. Carefully pour hot syrup in a thin, steady stream into the milk mixture while whisking continuously until evenly blended. Stir in vanilla. Quickly whisk in yolks until smooth and evenly combined.
8. Pour custard through a fine mesh sieve into a large glass measuring cup. Cover with plastic wrap resting directly on the surface of the custard. Set aside to cool slightly.
9. Unwrap pastry on a lightly floured surface. Cut in half. Roll into a 12x8-in. rectangle (it will be about 1/8-in.-thick). From the short side, tightly roll the pastry into a log. Using a sharp knife, cut log into 12 equal discs. Repeat with remaining dough.
10. Place a single disc of dough into each well of an ungreased regular-size muffin cup (the spirals should be facing up). Let stand 10-15 minutes. Once dough is pliable, use wet fingers and thumb, press thumb into center of disc then use index fingers to gently and evenly pull dough out and up the sides of the muffin cup until it is even with the rim of the pan. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.
11. Preheat oven to 550°. Divide custard evenly into chilled pastry shells, filling about 3/4 full. Bake until pastry is deep golden and custard is set with tiny brown spots on top, 10-12 minutes. Cool 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature. If desired, dust with confectioners' sugar and cinnamon.