For a few extra egg yolks

No, it is not the most precious legacy of the Portuguese grandeur, of that 16th century when Lisbon was a world capital. It is, however, sweeter: docaria conventual, monastery pastry, starts after the colonization of Madeira, where sugar canes were already cultivated (previously, honey was used as a sweetener): the cakes that they began to prepare in monasteries are indeed mostly made of eggs and sugar. Egg yolks and more egg yolks, some times only those, some others just a few extra ingredients, on top of the açúcar: almonds, cinnamon, citrus zest... The skilful hands of the nuns first created and then transmitted these cookies and puddings that are different from those we are used to, sweeter but with a magical balance, a personality that makes them elegant, despite their imposing aroma.

Gourmet travellers will be able to appreciate many things in Portugal: and these cakes are likely to be among the first ones. We’re thinking of pastéis de nata, the most famous ones: these tartlets are based on a recipe that was not transmitted for almost 200 years and was known – it is said – by three people only; the friable pastry, the cream made with egg yolks, milk and sugar. The Belém version, sold in the homonymous pastelaria in front of the Tower and born in the nearby Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, is a celebrated one. Tasting pastéis there – they say they pull 20,000 out of the ovens each day – is twice sublime, but it is also good in the Nata Lisboa version, a chain with 14 shops in Portugal, plus three more in Madrid, Barcelona and Paris. Do not turn up your noses: their version is valuable too (we tasted it in Rua de Stª Catarina, a chic street in Porto).

“Our” favourite pastel, however, can be found elsewhere, in an anonymous pastry-shop in Coimbra, the country’s third largest city. Here there’s Arco Iris: a small window full of sweet and savoury delicacies (the pastéis de Santa Clara are also excellent) among which stands out our favourite one, in a version so splendidly artisanal that it changes its aroma day by day, depending on the hand and the creativity of the pastry-maker: one day they will give it a stronger cinnamon note, the next a suave aroma of egg yolk... Delicious. Having given the first place, we need to acknowledge that this evaluation can be questioned, because there are plenty of excellent places in Portugal. Such as Pastelaria Conventual Pão de Rala in Évora, a few steps outside the historic centre, but worth it. Tasting the cake after which the pastry-shop is named after is mandatory: it’s a cake made with egg cream and pumpkin fibres cooked in sugar syrup. The results are many “golden hairs” (in Spanish tradition, recalled in this recipe, they’re called cabellos de ángel): if possible, this is an even sweeter cake than usual, though without being sickening.

Lisbon, Porto, Coimbra, Évora… However, our brief report of the best monastery pastry making in Portugal would not be complete if we didn’t mention the fact that its capital is Alcobaça, a city in the region of Estremadura known for its magnificent Cistercian monastery. It was unavoidable for a flourishing docaria conventual to develop beside it: here, every year, the Mostra Internacional de Doces & Licores Conventuais is held (the 16th edition will be from November 13th to the 16th) and here one can find an extraordinary pastelaria, Casa dos Doces Conventuais. Each one of their preparations is delicious, starting from the magnificent pudim de cister, a Cistercian pudding, a miracle composed of a kilo of sugar, 14 egg yolks, 2 whole eggs, 250 g of water and 50 g of butter. The diet can wait for tomorrow.