Pudim Abade de Priscos is one of Portugal’s most famous desserts, named after the Abbot of Priscos, a 19th-century gourmet known for his culinary talents.
This pudding is a perfect blend of indulgent sweetness, richness from egg yolks, and a surprising savory twist from bacon.
The inclusion of lard or bacon fat adds a unique depth to its creamy texture, while the caramel glaze provides a beautiful finish. It’s a dessert that embodies the ingenuity and boldness of Portuguese cuisine.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 ¾ cups water
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 large strip of lemon peel (no white pith)
- 1 tablespoon bacon fat or lard
- 15 large egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons port wine
- ½ cup granulated sugar (for caramel)
Instructions:
- Preheat your oven to 300°F.
- Prepare a pudding mold or Bundt pan by greasing it lightly with butter or non-stick spray.
- In a saucepan, combine 2 cups of sugar, water, cinnamon stick, lemon peel, and bacon fat.
- Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves.
- Allow the syrup to simmer gently for 10 minutes, then remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks until smooth.
- Gradually pour the cooled syrup into the yolks, whisking continuously to combine.
- Add the port wine and mix well.
- In a small pan, melt ½ cup of sugar over medium heat until it forms a golden caramel.
- Pour the caramel into the bottom of the prepared mold, swirling to coat evenly.
- Strain the egg mixture through a fine mesh sieve into the caramel-lined mold to remove any lumps or solid bits.
- Cover the mold with aluminum foil and place it in a larger baking dish.
- Fill the baking dish with hot water until it reaches halfway up the sides of the mold.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until the pudding is set but still slightly jiggly in the center.
- Remove the mold from the water bath and let it cool to room temperature.
- Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- To serve, run a knife around the edges of the mold, invert it onto a serving plate, and gently release the pudding.
- Slice and enjoy!
I have no idea what “caramelizing your mold” means. Can you expand on that?
Yes, caramelizing the mold is a technique used in making desserts such as flan or crème caramel. It involves melting sugar in a saucepan until it turns into a golden-brown liquid caramel. The caramel is then poured into the mold and swirled around to coat the bottom and sides before adding the other ingredients. This creates a delicious caramel layer on top of the dessert once it’s unmolded.
The bacon surprised me but is an interesting twist I would like to try. However, I need more information on the bacon. Smoked or unsmoked.? Thick cut or thin? Finely diced or left fairly chunky? How come you can’t see any trace of it the photos or are we to remove the cinnamon stick, lemon peel AND the bacon before adding to the egg yokes and port? Thanks
Hello Justin!
Your comment made me realize that the Abade de Priscos pudding recipe is not clear enough. I promise I’ll fix it.
Answering your questions:
1. It must be unsmoked.
2. It must have a good dose of fat.
3. It must be cut into very thin strips.
4. It has to boil for a few minutes together with the cinnamon stick and lemon peel. To know when it’s ready, touch the syrup with your index finger and then stick it to your thumb. Then spread the two fingers apart. If a thread forms between the two fingers, it means it is ready.
5. Remove the syrup from the heat and pass it through a strainer to remove the cinnamon stick, lemon peel and traces of bacon.
Hope this helps!
Maria
Fast response Maria!
All now totally clear. Thanks.
Do you have a traditional Portuguese receipt that uses 15 egg whites? if not I guess it will have to be meringues on the side or a white bacon omelette also using up the left over bacon.
You can try this one:
https://mariascookbook.com/portuguese-molotof-pudding/
Hi Maria, I would like to know which temperature I should preheat the oven to.
Hi Nicole!
180ºC (360ºF).