Queijadas de Sintra

Name: Queijadas de Sintra
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: Portuguese
Ingredients: For pastry: 200g plain flour, 80g butter, pinch of salt, cold water; For filling: 250g fresh cheese (requeijão or ricotta), 150g sugar, 3 egg yolks, 1 tbsp flour, 1 tsp cinnamon, zest of 1 lemon

Queijadas de Sintra (kay-ZHAH-dash deh SEEN-trah)

Sintra Cheese Tarts

⏱ Prep Time 45 min

📈 Difficulty Medium

👥 Servings

🔥 Calories 180 kcal

Delicate, golden tartlets from Sintra filled with a sweet, lightly tangy fresh cheese custard seasoned with cinnamon. A confection so legendary that Sintra built its reputation on them.

Nutrition & Info

Protein 5.0g

Carbs 22.0g

Fat 8.0g

Protein Carbs Fat

Dietary

vegetarian nut-free

Allergen Warnings

⚠ dairy ⚠ eggs ⚠ gluten

Equipment Needed

muffin tin mixing bowl rolling pin

Presentation Guide

Vessel: wire cooling rack or small plate

Garnishes: powdered sugar, cinnamon

Accompaniments: espresso, port wine

Instructions

1
Make pastry: rub butter into flour and salt until crumbly. Add cold water gradually until dough forms. Rest 20 minutes.
2
For filling, mix fresh cheese, sugar, egg yolks, flour, cinnamon, and lemon zest until smooth.
3
Roll pastry thin and cut circles to line a greased muffin tin, pressing into the cups.
4
Fill each pastry case three-quarters full with the cheese mixture.
5
Bake at 200°C for 20-25 minutes until the filling is puffed and golden with dark speckles on top.
6
Cool slightly in the tin, then transfer to a wire rack. Best served warm or at room temperature.

💡

Did You Know?

Records show queijadas were already being made in Sintra in 1276, making them one of Europe's oldest continuously produced pastries.

Chef's Notes

Equipment Tips

muffin tin
mixing bowl
rolling pin

Garnishing

powdered sugar, cinnamon

Accompaniments

espresso, port wine

The Story Behind Queijadas de Sintra

Queijadas de Sintra date back to the 13th century, when the town was a summer retreat for Portuguese royalty. The fresh cheese tarts became so famous that King Afonso III granted special privileges to queijada sellers. Today, Sintra's queijada shops still operate from centuries-old storefronts, and the pastry is protected by tradition if not by law.

🕐 Traditionally enjoyed dessert, afternoon snack with coffee 📜 Origins: 13th century Sintra

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