Queijadas de Évora

A thin, crispy crust holding a dense and creamy cheese center. Cinnamon and egg yolks provide that typical golden hue and a cooked sugar aroma that fills the kitchen.

• Prep time: 45 min
• Cook time: 25 min
• Difficulty: Medium
• Calories: 761
• Protein: 25 g
• Carbs: 86 g
• Fat: 32 g

Ingredients

• 166.7 g Wheat flour ( sifted )
• 33.3 g Minimum butter sweet ( softened )
• 66.7 ml Mineral water ( lukewarm )
• 0.7 pinch Gray sea salt
• 266.7 g Fresh cheese ( well drained )
• 200 g White sugar
• 4 piece Egg ( yolks only )
• 0.7 tsp Cinnamon powder
• 166.7 g Sheep's milk fresh cheese ( drained )

Instructions

1. Prepare the dough

   Mix the flour with the butter until crumbly. Add water and a pinch of salt. Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic. Let rest for 30 minutes under a cloth.

2. Smooth the cheeses

   Pass the fresh cheese and the sheep's milk cheese (requeijão) through a fine sieve. They must be perfectly smooth, without any lumps, to ensure a creamy center.

3. Queijada mixture

   Vigorously mix the sugar and egg yolks until the mixture whitens. Stir in the smoothed cheeses and cinnamon. The mixture must be homogeneous.

4. Lining the molds

   Roll out the dough very thinly, almost transparent. Cut out discs and line small buttered molds. The dough should slightly exceed the edges.

5. Baking

   Fill the molds three-quarters full. Bake at 200°C until the crust is golden brown and the top shows some brown caramelization spots.

Chef's tips

• The dough must be rolled as thin as a sheet of tissue paper.
• Do not overmix after adding the cheese to maintain texture.
• Wait for complete cooling before unmolding to avoid breaking the crust.

Storage

Store at room temperature in an airtight container for 2 days. Do not refrigerate, as it softens the pastry.