Cinfães Butter Cakes (Matulos)
Also known as: Matulos · Cinfães Butter Cakes
Yeasted butter cakes, baked golden and coated in a pale sugar glaze.
- Origin
- Cinfães · Douro and Tâmega
- Region
- Cinfães
- Season
- Year-round; traditional at festivals, pilgrimages and weddings
Cinfães butter cakes, also called Matulos, are small cakes made from a butter-rich yeasted dough. Shaped by hand, they are low, rounded or slightly irregular, with a golden crust and a soft compact centre.
After baking—traditionally in a wood-fired oven—they are coated with sugar syrup that dries on the surface, leaving pale patches and a sweeter finish over the buttery dough.
- wheat flour
- butter
- sugar
- water
- baker's yeast
- sugar syrup
Pronounced butter, a soft sweet-bread crumb and a sugar coating that dries slightly crisp.
Hand-shaped versions may be round, flattened, cubed or irregular; some household recipes enrich the dough with egg and lemon zest.
At pastry shops, fairs, pilgrimages and food events across Cinfães municipality.
Coffee, black tea or white Vinho Verde.
Associated with the traditional women bakers of Cinfães, Matulos appeared on local tables at festivals, pilgrimages and weddings. Porto and North Tourism includes them in its Gastronomic Weekends programme as a traditional local dessert, preserving both names and the method of glazing a yeasted dough with syrup.
Sources: cm-terrasdebouro.pt · finsdesemanagastronomicos.pt · receitasemenus.net
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