HYPEBEAST Eats… Pastéis de Belém - The Portuguese Egg Tart

For our latest HYPEBEAST Eats… we travel to Lisbon and the historic quarters of Belém. West of the city center, the area boasts many of the nation’s distinctive buildings and landmarks, one of which includes Pastéis de Belém – a bakery and pastry shop founded in 1837. While Portuguese egg tarts — or pastel de nata as it’s known — have become popular in Portugal and its immigrant regions across the world, only those who make their way to Belém will get to taste its superior alternative, the pastel de Belém. The delicious dessert was first created by Catholic monks at the Jeronimos Monastery who passed the secret recipe to their trustful neighbors during the liberal revolution when convents were forced to shut down.

A century on, the ancient recipe from the monastery remains unchanged to the present day. Stored in a secret room within the namesake bakery, only a handful of chefs have ever known how to bake a real “pastel de Belém,” while countless have tried to replicate the Portuguese delicacy. We traveled to the traditional bakery and spoke with General Manager Miguel Clarinha – who’s been handed the baton as the fourth generation family member to oversee the business. Before getting our hands on a tray of creamy custard tarts sprinkled with cinnamon, we got an intimate tour of the kitchen. Obediently walking past a fully closed-door where the master chef makes the pastry and cream, Miguel let us in on the meticulous baking process where nothing gets overlooked. Enjoy the latest episode of HYPEBEAST Eats… and be sure to check out Pastéis de Belém if you’re ever in Lisbon.

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