adharas' Portuguese Cream Tarts

adharas found this recipe at Epicurious & meant to make it for ages. Now that she has made it, she's demanding (in a rather threatening manner) that everyone make these. Lest anyone fall prey to her wrath, I thought I'd provide the recipe here.

The original contributor at Epicurious says: These tarts are best when baked in 1/3-cup muffin cups. However, since many manufacturers have increased the size of their standard tins, we also tested the tarts in 1/2-cup muffin cups. In those cups, the pastry dough doesn't reach the tops, resulting in rather squat tarts.

For pastry:

• 1 (17 1/4-oz) package frozen puff pastry (2 sheets)
• 1 tablespoon melted butter

For custard filling:

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 cups heavy cream
• Finely grated zest of 1 small lemon (1 1/4 teaspoons)
• 8 large egg yolks
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• For topping
• 1 tablespoon confectioners sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Special equipment: 2 muffin pans with 12 (1/3-cup) muffin cups, each 2 5/8 inches wide by 1 inch deep

Partially thaw pastry just until sheets can be unfolded but dough is still quite stiff. Gently unfold 1 sheet and cut along folds, forming 3 equal strips (each about 9 1/2 by 3 inches). Stack pieces and cut stack lengthwise into 12 (1/4-inch-wide) strips, each strip 3 layers thick. Repeat with remaining pastry sheet.

Turn each triple strip on its side (cut side up) and coil tightly to form a flat 2- to 2 1/2-inch-wide spiral. On a lightly floured surface, press spiral with heel of your hand to flatten into a 3-inch round.

Lightly grease muffin cups with melted butter. Place each round in a muffin cup and press into bottom and side, lining cup to within 1/8 inch of top. (If using larger muffin cups, dough will not reach all the way up side.)

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Whisk together sugar and flour in a 3-quart heavy saucepan, then whisk in remaining filling ingredients and cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until first bubble appears on surface, about 10 minutes. (Custard will be thick.) Transfer custard to a bowl and cool, whisking occasionally, until just warm, about 15 minutes, then fill pastry cups with custard, about 2 tablespoons each.

Bake tarts in upper third of oven until pastry is deep golden, 10 to 12 minutes. (Filling may brown.)

Cool tarts slightly in pans on a rack, about 10 minutes, then lift from pans using a small offset spatula or dull knife. Sift confectioners sugar, then cinnamon, over tarts and serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes 24 small individual tarts.