Toucinho do Céu explained

Toucinho do Céu
Alternate Name:• Toucinho-do-Céu
• Toucinho-do-Céu da Madre Abadessa
Country:Portugal
Region:Alentejo
Creator:Convent of Saint Mónica
Course:Dessert
Type:Pudding
Conventual sweet
Main Ingredient:Almonds, eggs, sugar, butter (lard)
Minor Ingredient:Cinnamon, cloves
Variations:• Toucinho-do-Céu de Murça
• Toucinho Rançoso
• Pastéis de Toucinho do Convento da Esperança
Similar Dish:Frangipane, tocino de cielo, pão de ló

Toucinho do Céu is a Portuguese dessert made primarily of almonds, eggs, and sugar.[1] While it is often described as a cake or tart, toucinho do céu remains largely free of flour and should not be mistaken for other Portuguese cakes and tarts containing almonds.[2]

History

Like other desserts characteristic of Portuguese cuisine, it contains high amounts of eggs, almonds and little wheat flour, known as conventual sweets (Portuguese: Doçaria Conventual).[3]

Toucinho do céu is named after its appearance which closely resembles bacon.[4] However, it also historically incorporated ground bacon or bacon lard into its recipe, and is an option in contemporary recipes.[5] The nuns of the Convento de Santa Mónica is credited with creating this pudding in the 1500s.

Preparation

Sugar is dissolved in water and brought to a boil. The ground almonds are added to the syrup until thickened, similar to marzipan. This mixture is slightly cooled before adding butter (historically lard). Egg yolks are then slowly incorporated to the almond paste. Spices, such cinnamon or cloves, are added along with orange zest or amaretto. This batter is then poured into a greased and floured pan and baked until slightly firm. The finished cake is dusted with powdered sugar.[2]

Variations

See also

Notes and References

  1. Book: Ribatejo . Entidade Regional de Turismo do Alentejo e . Guide to Lezíria do Tejo Certified Restaurants . 26 October 2018 . Caminho das Palavras . 978-989-8784-72-8 . 82 . 2 November 2023 . en.
  2. Book: Holland . Mina . The World on a Plate: 40 Cuisines, 100 Recipes, and the Stories Behind Them . 2015 . Penguin . 978-0-14-312765-9 . 79, 81 . en.
  3. Web site: Bastos . Jorge . Portuguese conventual sweets . Portugal Things . 1 November 2023 . 21 March 2021.
  4. Web site: Fernandes . Daniel . Toucinho-do-Céu . Produtos Tradicionais Portugueses . 1 November 2023 . pt.
  5. Book: Eyewitness . D. K. . DK Eyewitness Top 10 Porto . 28 March 2023 . Penguin . 978-0-7440-8361-3 . 93 . 1 November 2023 . en.
  6. Book: Modesto . Maria de Lourdes . Traditional Portuguese Cooking . 2001 . Verbo . 978-972-22-1173-4 . 74 . en.
  7. Web site: Receita de Toucinho do Céu de Murça NESTLÉ . saboreiaavida.nestle.pt . 2 November 2023 . pt-pt.
  8. Web site: Pereira . Berenice . Toucinho do Céu (Murça) . Cozinha Tradicional . 2 November 2023 . pt-BR . 1 December 2017.
  9. Web site: Fernandes . Daniel . Toucinho-do-Céu de Murça . Produtos Tradicionais Portugueses . Direção-Geral de Agricultura e Desenvolvimento Rural . 2 November 2023 . pt.
  10. Web site: Castro . Cristina . Toucinho-do-Céu de Murça . No Ponto . A Doçaria Portuguesa . 2 November 2023 . pt-PT . 3 February 2017.
  11. Web site: Pereira . Berenice . Toucinho Rançoso (Monforte) . Cozinha Tradicional . 2 November 2023 . pt-BR . 19 November 2016.
  12. Web site: Fernandes . Daniel . Toucinho Rançoso . Produtos Tradicionais Portugueses . 2 November 2023 . pt.
  13. Web site: Flavours of Alentejo . www.visitportugal.com . 2 November 2023 . en.
  14. Web site: Alentejo: A Gourmet's Travel Guide . Travel Guide to Portugal . 2 November 2023 . 9 March 2022.
  15. Web site: Pastel de Toucinho, Arraiolos . YouTube . No Ponto . 2 November 2023 . en.
  16. Web site: Fernandes . Daniel . Pastéis de Toucinho do Convento da Esperança . Produtos Tradicionais Portugueses . Direção-Geral de Agricultura e Desenvolvimento Rural . 2 November 2023 . pt.
  17. Web site: Castro . Cristina . PASTEL DE TOUCINHO . No Ponto . A Doçaria Portuguesa . 2 November 2023 . pt-PT . 20 August 2015.
  18. Web site: Veiga . Ana . 2023-12-10 . Guimaraes - The Complete Guide to Guimaraes in Portugal . 2023-12-17 . We Travel Portugal . en-US.