Nº 300 Alhadas Olive-Oil Rings
Cakes & Sweet Breads · The Centre

Alhadas Olive-Oil Rings

Also known as: Alhadas Olive-Oil Rings · Alhadas Sweet Rings

Handmade olive-oil rings with eggs, lemon and cinnamon, baked until golden.

Origin
Alhadas · Figueira da Foz
Region
Alhadas · Figueira da Foz
Season
Year-round
Sweetness
Richness
Difficulty

Rosquilhas das Alhadas are rings of sweet yeasted dough enriched with eggs, sugar and olive oil and scented with lemon and cinnamon. Hand-shaped and oven-baked, they develop a golden crust and a firmer crumb than Bolo das Alhadas, suited to breaking and dipping in coffee.

They belong to the same baking tradition in the parish of Alhadas, Figueira da Foz, but their ring form and pronounced use of olive oil give them a distinct identity. Production remains small and artisanal.

Ingredients
  • wheat flour
  • sugar
  • eggs
  • olive oil
  • lemon
  • cinnamon
  • yeast
  • water or milk
  • salt
Taste & texture

Moderately sweet and scented with citrus and cinnamon, with a firm crumb and fruity olive-oil note.

Variations

The commercial formula remains a family secret. Ring size, dough twisting and browning naturally vary between handmade batches.

Where to try it

In Alhadas and at markets and bakeries around Figueira da Foz. Availability is limited because production remains artisanal.

Pairs well with

Coffee, tea or warm milk.

History

The confectionery of Alhadas became associated with Catarina Leonor Lopes Silva, known as Leonor das Alhadas or Leonor dos Bolos. The family recipe passed to her niece Maria do Céu Oliveira and a small team who kept its cakes, broas and olive-oil rings in limited production.

The Gastronomic Charter of the Coimbra Region expressly records the olive-oil rosquilhas among the products that made the village famous. The name “Rosquilhas das Alhadas” also appears in QUALIFICA's national inventory of traditional products.

Sources: tradicional.dgadr.gov.pt · cm-gois.pt · freguesiadealhadas.blogspot.com · eubrdialogues.com