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Toucinho do Céu

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This article is about Portuguese almond pastry. For the Spanish egg pudding, see Tocino de cielo.
Toucinho do Céu
Toucinho do céu
Alternative names• Toucinho-do-Céu
• Toucinho-do-Céu da Madre Abadessa
TypePudding
Conventual sweet
CourseDessert
Place of originPortugal
Region or stateAlentejo
Created byConvent of Saint Mónica
Main ingredientsAlmonds, eggs, sugar, butter (lard)
Ingredients generally usedCinnamon, cloves
Variations• Toucinho-do-Céu de Murça
• Toucinho Rançoso
• Pastéis de Toucinho do Convento da Esperança
Similar dishesFrangipane, tocino de cielo, pão de ló

Toucinho do Céu (lit. 'bacon from heaven') 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

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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][a][b][c]

Toucinho do céu is named after its appearance which closely resembles bacon.[7][d] However, it also historically incorporated ground bacon or bacon lard into its recipe, and is an option in contemporary recipes.[9] The nuns of the Convento de Santa Mónica is credited with creating this pudding in the 1500s.[7]

Preparation

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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

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  • Toucinho Rançoso (lit. 'rancid bacon') ― From Alentejo, this pudding also contains doce de gila.[15] However, prior to baking, it is topped with additional flour to prevent additional browning to the top. The excess flour is then brushed away after it is baked. The story is said that a nun was caught in the act of committing gluttony by her confessor. When asked what she was eating, she replied, "rancid bacon."[16][17]
  • Pastéis de Toucinho do Convento da Esperança (lit. 'bacon pastries from the Convent of Hope') ― These pastries from Alentejo contain actual bacon are made into small tarts. While the recipe is credited to the Convent of Hope, it is attributed to the Convent of St. John the Penitent or the Maltesinhas de Estremoz.[18][19] The pastry crust is similar to puff pastry. Bacon jam is added when the sugar syrup is being made, followed by the ground almonds, eggs, and cinnamon. This paste fills the pastry-lined tart pans to bake.[20][21]
  • Toucinho do Céu de Guimarães (lit. 'heaven's bacon from Guimarães') ― This variation from Guimarães is similar to the traditional variety but includes doce de gila in the almond mixture. Additionally, whereas the traditional variety is served in a tart form and sliced, Toucinho do Céu de Guimarães are shaped into a flattened ball like form, and then rolled in caster sugar before serving whole.[22]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Almonds became a major crop during the Moorish Occupation between the 6th and 7th century.[4]
  2. ^ Eggs, particularly the use of egg yolks, was a byproduct during the late Middle Ages. In monastic tradition, egg whites were used as a form of clothing starch and also as fining in the clarification process of making wine.[5]
  3. ^ Lastly, sugar was a highly prized ingredient also introduced by the Moors in the Arab-spice trade. Sugarcane, native to Southeast Asia, became an important crop industry starting in Madeira around the mid 1400s, then largely in Brazil beginning in the early 1500s.[6]
  4. ^ Tocino de cielo, a conventual sweet from Spain shares the same translation and aptly named after its resemblance to bacon, however it is made with eggs, sugar, and water.[8]
  1. ^ Ribatejo, Entidade Regional de Turismo do Alentejo e (26 October 2018). Guide to Lezíria do Tejo Certified Restaurants. Caminho das Palavras. p. 82. ISBN 978-989-8784-72-8. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
  2. ^ a b Holland, Mina (2015). The World on a Plate: 40 Cuisines, 100 Recipes, and the Stories Behind Them. Penguin. pp. 79, 81. ISBN 978-0-14-312765-9.
  3. ^ Bastos, Jorge (21 March 2021). "Portuguese conventual sweets". Portugal Things. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
  4. ^ Campos, Carolina Ribeiro; Sousa, Beatriz; Silva, Joana; Braga, Megan; Araújo, Susana de Sousa; Sales, Hélia; Pontes, Rita; Nunes, João (September 2023). "Positioning Portugal in the Context of World Almond Production and Research". Agriculture. 13 (9): 1716. doi:10.3390/agriculture13091716. ISSN 2077-0472.
  5. ^ Boileau, Janet P. (31 August 2010). Lugares de Abandonoda Obsolescência Arquitetónica ao Turismo Identitário: Proposta de Turismo Vitivinícola Para a Reabilitação do Palácio dos Duques de Aveiro em Azeitão (PDF). Adelaide, Australia: University of Adelaide, School of History and Politics. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
  6. ^ Cavaleiro, Roberto Knight. "Slaves, sugar and rampant capitalism - Madeira 1440 to 1540". www.theportugalnews.com. Anglopress Lda. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
  7. ^ a b Fernandes, Daniel. "Toucinho-do-Céu". Produtos Tradicionais Portugueses (in Portuguese). Retrieved 1 November 2023.
  8. ^ Weiss, Jeffrey (17 March 2014). Charcutería: The Soul of Spain. Agate Publishing. p. 430. ISBN 978-1-57284-737-8. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
  9. ^ Eyewitness, D. K. (28 March 2023). DK Eyewitness Top 10 Porto. Penguin. p. 93. ISBN 978-0-7440-8361-3. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
  10. ^ Modesto, Maria de Lourdes (2001). Traditional Portuguese Cooking. Verbo. p. 74. ISBN 978-972-22-1173-4.
  11. ^ "Receita de Toucinho do Céu de Murça | NESTLÉ". saboreiaavida.nestle.pt (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2 November 2023.
  12. ^ Pereira, Berenice (1 December 2017). "Toucinho do Céu (Murça)". Cozinha Tradicional (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2 November 2023.
  13. ^ Fernandes, Daniel. "Toucinho-do-Céu de Murça". Produtos Tradicionais Portugueses (in Portuguese). Direção-Geral de Agricultura e Desenvolvimento Rural. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
  14. ^ Castro, Cristina (3 February 2017). "Toucinho-do-Céu de Murça". No Ponto (in European Portuguese). A Doçaria Portuguesa. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
  15. ^ Pereira, Berenice (19 November 2016). "Toucinho Rançoso (Monforte)". Cozinha Tradicional (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2 November 2023.
  16. ^ Fernandes, Daniel. "Toucinho Rançoso". Produtos Tradicionais Portugueses (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2 November 2023.
  17. ^ "Flavours of Alentejo". www.visitportugal.com. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
  18. ^ "Alentejo: A Gourmet's Travel Guide". Travel Guide to Portugal. 9 March 2022. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
  19. ^ "Pastel de Toucinho, Arraiolos". YouTube. No Ponto. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
  20. ^ Fernandes, Daniel. "Pastéis de Toucinho do Convento da Esperança". Produtos Tradicionais Portugueses (in Portuguese). Direção-Geral de Agricultura e Desenvolvimento Rural. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
  21. ^ Castro, Cristina (20 August 2015). "PASTEL DE TOUCINHO". No Ponto (in European Portuguese). A Doçaria Portuguesa. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
  22. ^ Veiga, Ana (2023-12-10). "Guimaraes - The Complete Guide to Guimaraes in Portugal". We Travel Portugal. Retrieved 2023-12-17.
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