Pastéis de Nata—The Sweet Icon

They are small, round, caramelized, and absolutely addictive: Pastéis de Nata (singular: Pastel de Nata) are Portugal's most famous pastry and one of the main reasons travelers abandon their calorie budget in Portugal.

The story begins in the Monastery of Jerónimos in Belém. The monks used egg whites to starch their clothing—and had to find a use for the leftover yolks. Thus, the Pastéis de Belém were born. After the dissolution of the monasteries in 1834, the monks sold the recipe to a sugar bakery next to the monastery—the Fábrica dos Pastéis de Belém, which has been producing continuously since 1837. The original recipe is still a secret; only three people know it at any given time.

What makes a perfect Pastel de Nata: The puff pastry shell must be crispy and layered, the custard filling made from egg yolk, sugar, milk, and a hint of lemon zest should be creamy and slightly caramelized (the dark scorch marks on the surface are intentional—they occur at over 400 °C in the oven). It is eaten warm, dusted with cinnamon and powdered sugar.

The Fábrica dos Pastéis de Belém produces over 20,000 pieces daily. The queue in front of the shop is legendary, but it moves quickly. But beware: There are excellent Pastéis de Nata all over Portugal—the fixation on Belém is a tourist phenomenon. Locals swear by their favorite pastelaria in their own neighborhood, which are often just as good. In Porto, Manteigaria (Rua de Santa Catarina) is a hot tip.