Portuguese egg tart delight

# Components:

→ 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

# Method steps:

01 - Heat oven to 400°F (200°C).

02 - Brush each phyllo sheet lightly with melted butter. Stack three sheets, then cut into squares to fit a 12-cup muffin tin. Repeat to create 12 stacks.

03 - Press each stack gently into muffin tin cups to form shells.

04 - Bake shells for 8–10 minutes until lightly golden. Remove and set aside.

05 - In a medium saucepan, whisk milk and cornstarch until smooth. Add cream, sugar, egg yolks, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt.

06 - Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until thickened, about 5–7 minutes. Remove from heat.

07 - Divide warm custard evenly among baked phyllo shells.

08 - Bake for 8–10 minutes until custard is set and tops are lightly golden.

09 - Let cool slightly, then dust with cinnamon and powdered sugar before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -

That crisp-then-creamy moment when phyllo meets warm custard is honestly addictive.
The whole thing comes together in less than an hour, yet tastes like a professional bakery made it.
Cinnamon and custard together feel fancy but require zero intimidation—just a whisk and attention.

02 -

Whisking constantly while cooking the custard prevents it from splitting or becoming grainy—no shortcuts here, but it's only 7 minutes of focused attention.
Don't overbake the filled tarts; the custard continues setting as it cools, and you want that creamy center, not a firm one.

03 -