Hello everyone! Today I want to share with you a recipe that is very special to me – Portuguese muffins, also known as “Bolos Lêvedos”. These sweet, fluffy muffins are a traditional treat from the Azores Islands in Portugal and are absolutely delicious.
I first learned about Bolos Lêvedos when I was visiting some friends in the Azores. We were sitting in a cozy café, sipping on some hot coffee and catching up on old times when the smell of freshly baked bread wafted over to our table. My friend smiled and said, “You have to try these – they’re Bolos Lêvedos, a local specialty.”
I took one bite and was instantly hooked. The muffin was soft and fluffy, with a slightly sweet taste that was absolutely irresistible. I knew I had to learn how to make these at home.
My friend was kind enough to share her family recipe with me and I’ve been making Bolos Lêvedos ever since. They’re the perfect treat for breakfast or a snack and are always a hit with my family and friends.
In this blog post, I’ll be sharing my friend’s recipe with you so that you can make your own Bolos Lêvedos at home. Trust me, once you try these muffins, you’ll be hooked too!
But before we get to the recipe, let me tell you a little bit more about Bolos Lêvedos. These muffins originated in the Azores Islands, specifically in the town of Furnas on the island of São Miguel. They’re made with simple ingredients like flour, eggs, milk, sugar, and yeast and are traditionally cooked on a griddle or in a skillet.
Bolos Lêvedos are often served warm with butter or jam and are the perfect accompaniment to a cup of coffee or tea. They’re also great for making sandwiches – try them with ham and cheese for a delicious lunchtime treat.
One of the things I love about Bolos Lêvedos is how versatile they are. You can enjoy them plain or get creative with different toppings and fillings. Some of my favorite ways to enjoy them include spreading them with Nutella or filling them with scrambled eggs and bacon for a hearty breakfast.
But enough about me – let’s get to the recipe! Here’s how to make your own delicious Bolos Lêvedos at home.
Ingredients
- 4 cups of all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup of sugar
- 1/2 cup of butter
- 0.5 oz of fresh baker’s yeast
- 3/4 cup of warm whole milk
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon of salt
Instructions
- Start by placing the flour in a large mixing bowl and making a small hole in the center.
- Pour the warm milk, eggs, sugar, butter and yeast into the hole.
- Mix everything together with a wooden spoon until it forms a dough.
- Add the salt and mix everything very well with your hands.
- Remove the dough from the bowl and knead it very well on a floured surface.
- After finishing, form a ball and sprinkle with flour and place in a container, where it should rest to rise in a warm place for about one to two hours (until it doubles in size).
- After the dough has risen properly, form small balls (the size of an orange, for example) and place them under a kitchen towel sprinkled with flour.
- Use all the dough to form several balls leaving a small space between them.
- Sprinkle all the dough balls again and place a cloth on top.
- You should now wait another one to two hours to let it rise / double in size.
Cooking:
- Heat up a skillet greased with olive oil over medium heat.
- Flatten the balls slightly and cook them in the skillet for about 3 minutes on each side until they are golden brown.
Notes
- One way to add more flavor to this recipe is to incorporate additional ingredients into the dough. For example, you could add a teaspoon of vanilla extract or a tablespoon of honey to the dough mixture before kneading. This will give the bread a subtle sweetness and depth of flavor.
- Another way to enhance the flavor of this recipe is to use high-quality ingredients. For example, using fresh, organic eggs and whole milk can make a big difference in the taste and texture of the bread. Additionally, using high-quality butter and unbleached flour can also improve the overall flavor.
- To add some texture to the bread, you could try incorporating some dried fruit or nuts into the dough. For example, you could add raisins, cranberries, or chopped walnuts to the dough before kneading. This will give the bread some added texture and flavor.
- If you want to make this recipe even more special, you could try using a flavored butter or spread on top of the cooked bread. For example, you could make a cinnamon-honey butter by mixing softened butter with honey and ground cinnamon. Spread this on top of the warm bread for a delicious treat.
- Finally, another way to improve this recipe is to experiment with different cooking methods. While cooking the bread in a skillet is traditional, you could also try baking it in the oven or cooking it on a griddle. Each method will give the bread a slightly different texture and flavor, so it’s worth experimenting to find your favorite.
