Setúbal Moscatel Tart
Also known as: Setúbal Moscatel Tart · Palmela Moscatel Tart
A crisp little tart of almond, eggs and Moscatel de Setúbal.
- Origin
- Palmela · Setúbal Peninsula
- Region
- Palmela · Setúbal Peninsula
- Season
- Year-round
The Pastel de Moscatel de Setúbal documented here is a small rustic tart with a thin pastry shell and a baked filling of ground almonds, eggs, sugar and Moscatel. Its rim becomes irregular and crisp, while the centre turns brown-gold and stays moist. A dark raisin on top visually identifies many examples of this version.
Palmela municipality's published recipe brings sugar and water to pearl stage before adding almond, Moscatel and eggs, then bakes the tart briefly in a hot oven. It is distinct from the Moscatel-flavoured pastel de nata launched by the same pastry chef years later; both exist, but they should not share one catalog record.
- wheat flour
- water
- sugar
- ground almonds
- eggs
- Moscatel de Setúbal
- raisins
Almond-rich and vinous, with concentrated sweetness, Moscatel's orange-and-honey notes and a crisp pastry contrast.
A Moscatel pastel de nata was also created in 2020. This record covers the earlier almond-and-egg version published in the municipal recipe collection.
In Palmela and Setúbal, seeking the artisan version associated with Confeitaria S. Julião; confirm current availability.
Lightly chilled Moscatel de Setúbal or espresso.
Pastry chef Nuno Gil, associated with Confeitaria S. Julião in Palmela, developed several specialties around the peninsula's emblematic wine. Palmela municipality published this almond-based formula in its Moscatel recipe collection and listed Pastel de Moscatel among the municipality's sweets selected for the first phase of the Seven Wonders of Portuguese Sweets in 2019. The creation is part of a local effort to take the wine beyond the glass and into cooking and pastry.
Sources: cm-palmela.pt · cm-palmela.pt · noponto.pt · rotavinhospsetubal.com · adrepes.pt
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