Farófias

Farófias taste like my grandmother’s kitchen. She made them every Christmas Eve: clouds of poached meringue floating on a silky egg custard, with cinnamon and lemon perfuming the whole house while we hovered impatiently around the stove.

They are one of Portugal’s classic conventual sweets — fluffy egg whites gently poached in milk, with the yolks turned into the custard sauce underneath, so nothing goes to waste. In some regions they go by ovos nevados, “snowy eggs,” and the French make a close cousin they call île flottante.

I still make them following her recipe, and I think of her every single time. Here it is, along with the little tricks that make farófias come out perfect — soft, glossy and never rubbery.

Farófias Recipe

Prep time: 20 minutes · Cook time: 20 minutes · Total: 40 minutes · Servings: 8 · Calories: ~365 per serving

Ingredients

• 8 egg whites
• ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, divided
• 4 cups milk
• Peel of 1 lemon
• 6 egg yolks
• ⅓ cup cornstarch
• Ground cinnamon, to taste

Instructions

1. In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the milk, ¼ cup of the powdered sugar and the lemon peel to a boil, then reduce the heat to low.
2. In a large bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form, then beat in the remaining 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar.
3. Drop large spoonfuls of the beaten whites into the hot milk and poach for about 2 minutes per side. Lift them out with a slotted spoon onto a platter.
4. Strain the poaching milk and reserve it for the custard.
5. In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks, cornstarch and a splash of the reserved milk until smooth.
6. Bring the rest of the reserved milk back to a boil, then gradually whisk in the yolk mixture, stirring constantly until it thickens into a custard. Pour it over the farófias.
7. Dust with ground cinnamon and serve warm or cold.

Recipe Notes

• The milk should be hot but not at a rolling boil when you poach the whites — that keeps them even and shapely.
• Do not overcrowd the pan; poach in batches if needed.
• Turn the meringues gently with a slotted spoon; they should be set but not dry.
• Drain the poached whites well — a paper towel underneath helps absorb excess moisture.
• Straining the milk removes any stray bits of egg white before the custard is made.
• Cook the custard over low heat, stirring constantly, and never let it boil or it may curdle.
• Vanilla or a little lemon juice in the custard, apple puree under the meringues, or toasted almonds on top are all lovely variations.