Trouxas de ovos, or little egg-yolk purses, are one of the most charming of the Portuguese doces conventuais, the convent sweets built from egg yolks and sugar syrup. They are a specialty of Caldas da Rainha.
These come from the same convent-kitchen tradition as our Ovos Moles de Aveiro (recipe on the site) and Toucinho do Céu (recipe on the site): centuries ago, nuns used egg whites to starch their habits and had a glut of leftover yolks, so they turned them into syrup-thickened pastes and shaped them into every form imaginable. This one is simple by convent standards, just egg yolks cooked slowly with sugar syrup until it turns into a soft, spoonable paste, then rolled into little balls and dusted with powdered sugar.
They’re rich, so a little goes a long way, which makes them a nice thing to have on hand after a big Sunday lunch. Once you’ve made the base paste here, you’ll notice it shows up again and again across our other egg-based sweets, so consider this your gateway into the whole conventual repertoire.
Trouxas de Ovos Recipe
Ingredients
- 10 large egg yolks
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 strip lemon zest (about 2 inches)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
- Butter, for greasing hands or molds
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, water, cinnamon stick, and lemon zest. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes to make a light syrup. Remove and discard the cinnamon stick and lemon zest.
- Whisk the egg yolks until smooth, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve into another bowl to remove any stringy bits for a silky texture.
- Slowly whisk about 1/4 cup of the warm syrup into the yolks to temper them, then pour the tempered yolks back into the saucepan with the remaining syrup, whisking constantly.
- Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens into a soft, spreadable paste, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the cornstarch slurry during the last minute to help it set. Do not let it boil, or the yolks will scramble.
- Transfer the mixture to a shallow dish and let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate at least 1 hour, until firm enough to handle.
- Once firm, take small spoonfuls, about 1 tablespoon each, and roll into little balls or purses, lightly dusting your hands with powdered sugar to prevent sticking.
- Dust generously with more powdered sugar and arrange in small paper cups just before serving.
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