Portalegre Egg Sweets — Published Home Formula
Receitas para a Felicidade publishes a home formula by an author born in Portalegre and includes both food-processor instructions and a traditional method. This transcription preserves the traditional method: yolk paste shaped into balls, coated in icing sugar and dipped in a very pale glaze. It is a documented home version, not the commercial recipe used by Portalegre confectioners.
- Yields
- Not stated by the source
- Prep
- Not stated; the food-processor version chills for 12 h
- Cook
- Not stated for the traditional method
Ingredients
- 200 g / 7.1 oz Sugar for the egg paste
- 80 g / 2.8 oz Water for the egg paste
- 8 Egg yolks
- Quantity not stated Icing sugar for coating
- 500 g / 17.6 oz Sugar for the glaze
- 160 g / 5.6 oz Water for the glaze
- 1 tbsp Lemon juice for the glaze
- Quantity not stated Oil for the work surface and hands
Method
Pass the eight yolks through a fine sieve to remove their membranes.
Heat 200 g sugar with 80 g water to 106°C / 223°F, a stage the source describes as shortly after boiling begins.
Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
Add the yolks gradually, stirring continuously so they do not set into pieces.
Return to the heat and stir until thick enough to form an egg paste. Leave to cool until it can be shaped; the source does not quantify this rest in the traditional method.
Lightly oil a smooth work surface and your hands, shape small balls and coat them in icing sugar.
For the glaze, heat the 500 g sugar, 160 g water and tablespoon of lemon juice in a non-stick pan until a very pale caramel forms.
Remove from the heat immediately. Use a fork to dip each ball in the glaze and leave it to cool on baking parchment.
If desired, wrap individually in tissue or baking paper once cold.
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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