Preheat the oven

• Preheat the oven to 200 °C with both top and bottom heat.

Prepare the pastry cups

• Roll out the puff pastry and cut it into 12 uniform pieces.
• Place the pastry pieces into the cups of a muffin tin and press them so the pastry lines the cups and extends upwards.

Make the sugar syrup

• In a small pot over medium heat, simmer the sugar and water until a pearly consistency is achieved.
• Remove the syrup from the heat and set aside.

Cook the milk pudding

• Dissolve the cornstarch in a bit of the milk to avoid lumps.
• Add the cinnamon sticks and lemon peels to a small pot with the remaining milk and bring almost to a boil.
• Add the dissolved cornstarch and simmer while stirring constantly until a pudding-like consistency forms.

Combine syrup and infuse

• Remove the pot from the heat and gradually incorporate the sugar syrup into the milk mixture while stirring continuously.
• Let the mixture steep, then remove the cinnamon sticks and lemon peels.

Add the egg yolks

• Mix the egg yolks with a few spoonfuls of the pudding mixture.
• Slowly incorporate the egg yolk mixture into the pudding.

Strain the filling

• Strain the pudding mixture through a sieve to achieve a smooth consistency.

Fill the pastry cups

• Evenly pour the pudding into the puff pastry cups, leaving some space around the edges.

Bake the tarts

• Bake the tarts in the preheated oven until they turn golden brown and crispy.

Cool and serve

• Allow the finished Pastéis de Nata to cool slightly before serving, warm or at room temperature.