Macau-Style Portuguese Puff Pastry

Before you start

• Lightly grease a standard twelve-cup muffin tin with butter or non-stick spray.

  Authentic Macau bakeries use shallow, flared aluminum tart molds, but a standard muffin tin works brilliantly for the home cook.

Ingredients

• unbleached all-purpose flour1 1/2 cup
• fine sea salt1/2 tsp
• granulated sugar2 tsp
• unsalted butter2 tbsp
• ice water7 tbsp
• European unsalted butter9 tbsp
• whole milk1 cup
• heavy whipping cream1/3 cup
• granulated sugar1/3 cup
• egg yolks3 large
• cornstarch1 tbsp
• pure vanilla extract1 tsp

Method

1. 01

   Pound the cold European butter into a five-by-six-inch pliable rectangle between two sheets of parchment paper.

   If the butter gets too soft or starts melting, slide it right back into the refrigerator for ten minutes. It must be flexible but cold.

2. 02

   Whisk the flour, salt, and two teaspoons of sugar in a large bowl, then rub in the melted butter until the mixture resembles coarse sand.

3. 03

   Make a well in the center, pour in the ice water, and gently knead until a slightly tacky dough forms.

   Do not overwork this dough. Wrap it tightly in plastic and refrigerate for forty-five minutes so the gluten can relax.

4. 04

   Roll the rested dough into a rectangle slightly larger than your butter block, encase the butter entirely, and pinch the seams shut.

5. 05

   Execute three single letter folds, rolling the dough out and folding it in thirds, resting it in the refrigerator for thirty minutes between each turn.

   This builds the twenty-seven distinct layers of butter. Temperature control is your greatest ally here; if the butter begins to smear at any point, immediately return the dough to the cold.

6. 06

   Roll the finished laminated dough into a large, eighth-inch-thick rectangle, mist lightly with cold water, and roll it tightly into a firm cylinder.

   Wrap this log in plastic and freeze for thirty minutes. This tight spiral, not a flat sheet, is what eventually gives the Macau tart its shattering, concentric layers.

7. 07

   Slice the chilled cylinder into twelve equal coins and press each one cut-side down into a muffin tin.

   Dip your thumbs in cold water, press the center of the spiral flat against the bottom, and firmly work the excess dough up the sides of the cup. Chill for at least thirty minutes.

8. 08

   Heat the milk, heavy cream, and remaining one-third cup of sugar in a saucepan over medium-low heat just until the sugar dissolves.

9. 09

   Whisk the egg yolks, cornstarch, and vanilla extract in a heatproof jug until completely smooth.

10. 10

    Slowly drizzle the warm milk mixture into the egg yolks while whisking constantly to temper the eggs.

    The cornstarch is a non-negotiable stabilizer here; it physically prevents the egg proteins from curdling and scrambling under the extreme heat of the oven.

11. 11

    Pass the entire custard mixture through a fine-mesh strainer.

    Do not skip this. Discard any coagulated bits of egg or unincorporated starch to guarantee the silken, trembling texture that contrasts the crunchy shell.

12. 12

    Preheat the oven to a blistering 480°F and carefully fill the chilled pastry shells ninety percent full with the cooled custard.

    If your oven only reaches 450°F, use that temperature but activate the convection fan if you have one.

13. 13

    Bake for fifteen to twenty minutes until the pastry edges are shattered and deeply browned, and the custard puffs up with dark caramelized blisters.

    The puffed custard will immediately begin to deflate and settle as it cools. Let them rest in the tin for five minutes before moving them to a wire rack so the steam doesn't make the pastry soggy.

Notes

• Stagger your weekend dim sum schedule.

  Make the dough and roll it into the final log the day before. You can also prepare and strain the custard base, keeping both sealed in the fridge overnight. This frees up your Sunday morning for a quick molding and a high-heat bake while your bamboo steamers occupy the stovetop.