Pudim de Vila de Rei — Manuscript Formula
This recipe follows the transcription of a handwritten formula titled ‘Pudim de Villa Rei’. It preserves the original structure—unrefined sugar, almonds, ten yolks, two whole eggs and citrus zest—and uses the modern conversions for arrátel and quarta supplied by the transcription itself. The reference to the Convent of Graça belongs to the manuscript annotation and does not by itself prove a convent origin.
- Yields
- 1 pudding
- Prep
- Not stated by the source
- Cook
- Not stated by the source
Ingredients
- 459 g / 16.2 oz (1 arrátel in the transcription) Muscovado or unrefined sugar
- 125 g / 4.4 oz (1 quarta in the transcription) Blanched almonds, very finely ground
- 10 Egg yolks
- 2 Whole eggs
- zest to taste Orange or lemon
- as needed Butter for the mould
Method
Grease a pudding mould thoroughly with butter. The known formula does not call for caramelising the mould.
Bring the sugar to the boil with enough water to make a syrup. The transcription gives no water quantity; use only what is needed to dissolve and boil the sugar.
When the syrup begins to boil, add the very finely ground almonds and cook to paste stage. Remove from the heat and let it cool until barely warm.
Beat the ten yolks with the two whole eggs and orange or lemon zest. Add to the warm sugar-and-almond paste and mix thoroughly.
Pour into the greased mould and bake until the pudding is cooked through and firm. The manuscript supplies neither temperature nor duration; monitor the bake rather than treating a modern estimate as historical data.
Let it settle before unmoulding so the dense almond-and-yolk structure can stabilise.
Sources for this recipe
The quantities and method were checked against the references below. Family recipes may vary; where no single official formula exists, we present a representative practical version and say so plainly.
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