Lousã Tigelada

Also known as: Lousã Tigelada

A flour-thickened Beira tigelada with lemon and cinnamon, browned in earthenware.

Origin: Lousã · Serra da Lousã
Place: Lousã · Coimbra
Region: The Centre
Category: Puddings & Spoon Sweets
Season: Year-round · Easter · Christmas · festivals
Evidence: Well documented

Sweetness

Richness

Difficulty

Tigelada Lousanense beats eggs, sugar and a small amount of flour before milk, lemon peel and cinnamon are added. It bakes for about an hour in glazed earthenware, forming a dark caramelised top over a golden, softly grainy body that may retain some syrup.

Flour distinguishes it from purely milk-and-egg tigeladas and gives enough body to serve by spoon or as an irregular slice.

Ingredients

eggs
sugar
milk
wheat flour
lemon peel
cinnamon
optional honey

Taste & texture

Sweet and milky, with oven caramel, lemon-cinnamon fragrance and a texture thicker than flan.

Variations

Historically it could use muscovado or yellow sugar, honey, and goat's, sheep's or cow's milk.

Where to try it

At traditional Lousã restaurants and village festivals in the mountains.

Pairs well with

Coffee, mountain-herb tea or honey liqueur.

History

The regional gastronomic charter describes tigelada as celebration food in Beira Serra's agro-pastoral communities, appearing at Easter, Christmas, local feasts, weddings and baptisms. It baked in residual wood-oven heat after bread, broa, chanfana or kid, in red or black earthenware according to local practice. Lousã municipality reproduces the local recipe and confirms that the sweet remains available in the municipality's restaurants.

Documentary basis

Well documented

3 sources

Identity supported by institutional, specialist or corroborating sources.

How we assess sources and uncertainty →

Well documented

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