Tortas de Guimarães — Historical Formula Published by DGADR
DGADR's record transcribes a formula from the municipal work Doçaria Tradicional Vimaranense (2011): a firm flour-and-water dough laminated with pork dripping, an almond, twenty-yolk, cinnamon and citron filling, baking and a very quick syrup bath. The historical filling measures are retained; metric equivalents are reading aids, not a certified modernisation.
- Yields
- Not stated
- Prep
- Not stated
- Cook
- Not stated
Ingredients
- quantity not stated Wheat flour
- as needed for a firm dough Cold water and salt
- quantity not stated, for laminating Rendered pork fat from rojões
- 1 arrátel (about 459 g / 16.2 oz) Sugar for the filling
- 1 quartilho (historical measure; regional capacity varied) Water for the filling
- 1 quarta (about 115 g / 4.1 oz if one quarter-arrátel) Crushed almonds
- 20 Beaten egg yolks
- 1 Cinnamon stick
- a piece Chopped candied citron
- as needed for dipping Sugar syrup at espadana stage
- for dusting Sugar and ground cinnamon
Method
Knead the flour with salted cold water into a firm dough. Work it on a very smooth board, kneading and rubbing until it begins to form bubbles.
Roll out the dough, apply the pork fat by the traditional method and form a laminated roll. Cut it into slices about a finger wide and open them while preserving the separation of the layers.
For the filling, cook the arrátel of sugar and quartilho of water to a low espadana stage. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
Add the almonds, twenty yolks, cinnamon stick and citron. Return to the heat until thickened, without cooking the syrup too far.
Place filling on each opened portion, fold into a half-moon and bake on a sheet or tray. The source publishes neither temperature nor duration.
Dip each baked torta in syrup at espadana stage and remove it immediately with a slotted spoon. Once cold, dust with sugar and cinnamon.
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.
Read the editorial policy →
