Encharcada (Portuguese soaked eggs from Évora)

Encharcada is a classic dessert from Évora, Portugal. It’s been around since the days of the convents. This treat uses a lot of egg yolks. Nuns were great at making sweets, and they passed this down.

It’s rich and creamy, with a hint of cinnamon. The name means soaked, which is just right because it’s drenched in syrup. This dessert started out as a way to use up extra egg yolks. After making things like meringue, the egg whites were usually left over.

Encharcada shows how simple ingredients like sugar and eggs can come together to create something special from Portugal.

Ingredients:

• 10 egg yolks
• 2 whole eggs
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 ¾ cups water
• 1 cinnamon stick
• Ground cinnamon for serving
• Peel from 1 lemon

Instructions:

1. In a medium pot, mix sugar, water, cinnamon stick, and lemon peel.
2. Heat it over medium heat. Stir until the sugar melts.
3. Let it simmer for about 5 minutes, then take out the cinnamon stick and lemon peel.
4. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks and whole eggs until smooth.
5. Slowly pour a bit of the hot syrup into the eggs while whisking. This warms them up.
6. Then, slowly put the egg mix back into the pot with the rest of the syrup, stirring all the time.
7. Cook over low heat, stirring gently, until it thickens like custard.
8. This should take about 10 minutes. Don’t let it boil.
9. Pour the mixture into a serving dish and spread it out.
10. Let it cool to room temperature.
11. Then, sprinkle with ground cinnamon.
12. Serve it chilled or at room temperature in small portions.