Pasteis de Nata Tarts

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (or 190 degrees Celsius, if you prefer).

Next, lightly coat the muffin cups with a thin layer of butter or cooking spray to prevent sticking.

In a saucepan, combine 1 cup of milk, 2 tablespoons of cornstarch, 1 tablespoon of sugar and a pinch of vanilla extract. Place the saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture thickens to your liking.

In a separate bowl, whisk 2 egg yolks together until they're well combined. Slowly pour in half a cup of the hot milk mixture, whisking continuously to avoid lumps. Gradually add the egg yolk mixture back into the remaining milk mixture, stirring constantly with a wire whisk. Continue cooking for 5 minutes, or until the mixture has thickened to your desired consistency.

Remove the vanilla bean from the saucepan, as it's no longer needed.

Fill each muffin cup with the prepared mixture and bake in your preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until the pastry crust is golden brown and the filling has a lightly toasted appearance on top