Sericaia

Ingredients

Custard

• 1 litrewhole milk
• 250 gsugar
• 8egg yolks
• 4egg whites
• 80 gplain flour
• 1 stickcinnamon
• the peel of 1 lemon, in strips
• a pinch of salt

To finish

• ground cinnamon, generously

To serve

• ameixas d’Elvas, the candied greengages of Elvas

Equipment

• a shallow earthenware dish, ideally a Portuguese barro

Optional

• a splash of port

Directions

1. Take it off the heat and leave it, covered, for 20 minutes to infuse properly. Do not boil the milk with the peel for long, because the pith turns it bitter.
2. Strain out the cinnamon and peel. Whisk the yolks with the sugar until pale and thick. Whisk in the flour until completely smooth. Get every lump out at this stage, because they will not disperse once the hot milk goes in. Add the hot milk gradually. Return it to the pan and cook over a medium heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens.
3. Stir without stopping and get into the corners of the pan, where it catches first. It should thicken to a heavy custard in 5 to 8 minutes. Take it off the heat as soon as it coats the back of a spoon thickly, and never let it boil hard.
4. Cool it slightly, stirring occasionally so a skin does not form. Now whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt to firm peaks. Fold them into the warm custard in three additions.
5. Fold gently and stop while it is still slightly streaky, because the beaten whites are what makes it puff and then crack. The mixture should be light and airy rather than dense.
6. Spoon the mixture into a shallow earthenware dish in overlapping ladlefuls, working round in a spiral. Ladle it in in separate overlapping spoonfuls rather than pouring it in smooth. Do not level or smooth the surface at all. Bake at 200°C (390°F) for about 30 minutes. It should puff dramatically, brown in patches and crack across the whole surface.
7. Cool it to room temperature in the dish. Serve it at room temperature or lightly chilled, in the dish it was baked in. Set the candied Elvas plums alongside, two or three per person. It keeps two days refrigerated, though the crust softens.

Technique

• Ameixas d’Elvas are candied greengages with a protected designation of origin.
• The earthenware dish is traditional and holds heat evenly, though any shallow dish works.
• Portuguese convent sweets are heavy on yolks for the historical reason given.

Substitutions

• Any shallow ovenproof dish in place of earthenware.
• Candied plums or prunes in syrup if Elvas plums are unavailable.

Variations

• With a splash of port in the custard.
• Made in individual dishes.
• With extra cinnamon, which is the Alentejo tendency.

History

An Alentejo convent sweet from Elvas, said to descend from recipes carried back from Portuguese India.

Frequently asked questions

What is Sericaia?

Sericaia is a dessert from Portugal: baked cinnamon egg pudding cracked on top, served with Elvas candied plums. An Alentejo convent sweet from Elvas, said to descend from recipes carried back from Portuguese India.

How long does Sericaia take to make?

Sericaia takes 25 min of preparation and 40 min of cooking. The recipe makes 8 servings. It is rated medium to make.

What can I substitute in Sericaia?

Yes, within limits. Any shallow ovenproof dish in place of earthenware. Candied plums or prunes in syrup if Elvas plums are unavailable.

What is the most important thing to get right in Sericaia?

Take it off the heat and leave it, covered, for 20 minutes to infuse properly. Do not boil the milk with the peel for long, because the pith turns it bitter.