The monks’ laundry habits meant that they had lots of leftover egg yolks and, instead of throwing them away, they whipped them up into these custardy pastry treats. When the monastery eventually closed in the 19th century, their age-old recipe was sold to a sugar refinery, which opened Fábrica de Pastéis de Belém. The bakery still operates today, making pastéis de nata to this traditional, top-secret recipe.

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Last updated by Dominique Ayling.

The stories behind the world's favourite desserts