Toucinho do Céu, literally translating to “Bacon from Heaven,” is a traditional Portuguese dessert that paradoxically contains no bacon. This almond and egg yolk-rich confection hails from the convents of Portugal, where nuns once used egg whites to starch their habits, leaving a surplus of yolks.
These yolks, combined with sugar and almonds, became the base for many Portuguese sweets, including this heavenly dessert. Originating from the region of Alentejo, Toucinho do Céu is a testament to the culinary creativity of conventual sweets, blending simplicity with decadent flavors.
Toucinho do Céu
Ingredients
- 1 cup of water
- 2 cups of granulated sugar
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 strip of lemon peel
- 1 ½ cups of ground almonds (with skin for authenticity)
- 12 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
- 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
- Powdered sugar for dusting (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-inch round cake pan and line it with parchment paper, then grease the paper.
- In a medium saucepan, combine water, granulated sugar, cinnamon stick, and lemon peel. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Simmer for about 5 minutes, then remove from heat and discard the cinnamon stick and lemon peel. Stir in the ground almonds.
- Gradually whisk a small amount of the hot sugar syrup into the beaten egg yolks to temper them. Then, slowly add the tempered yolks back into the saucepan with the remaining syrup, stirring constantly.
- Return the pan to low heat, add the butter, and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 to 7 minutes. Do not boil.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan, smoothing the top with a spatula.
- Bake in the preheated oven until the center is set and the top is golden, about 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once cooled, dust with powdered sugar if desired.
