Fofos de Belas

Description: Cylindrical cakes, 6cm in diameter, filled with cream and sprinkled with powdered sugar, prepared with a light dough of flour, eggs and sugar. They are sold in boxes containing 6 or 12 cakes. They are also sold by the unit, at the counters of the establishment.

Region: Lisbon and Tagus Valley.

Special feature: Cylindrical cakes filled with a fresh cream.

History: The Casa dos Fofos de Belas has been operating since 1840, with homemade sponge cake and other sweets made there and sold at the fairs and pilgrimages of Lisbon. In 1850, the owners of the house began to specialize, almost exclusively, in the Fofos, then opening the establishment to the public. The recipe for sweets remains in the family and the house has been passed down from generation to generation, maintaining its artisanal character.

Use: Consumed at any time, they are the object of demand, not only by weekend passers-by, but also by many merchants who go there daily to buy sweets to sell in their own establishments.

Know-how: Beat the egg yolks with the sugar, add the flour and, finally, the egg whites. The dough is placed in its respective molds and baked in a eucalyptus wood-fired oven, which gives them a traditional and specific taste. After cooking, they are sprinkled with sugar, after which they are made into a horizontal cut, introducing the cream there. This cream is made with cornstarch, sugar, and egg yolks.

Source: Produtos Tradicionais Portugueses, Lisboa, DGDR, 2001