Top 5 desserts in Portugal to enjoy without moderation

Many of you liked the article Top 5 of my favorite Portuguese dishes. So today I’ve chosen to reveal the Top 5 of my desserts in Portugal.

It’s worth noting that we often talk about Portuguese gastronomy in terms of its dishes, but not so much about its desserts. Yes, unlike France, for example, which is very famous for its desserts, it’s a little less customary in Portugal to have a dessert at the end of a meal, and desserts in Portugal are less well known and consumed than the famous “French pastries”.

However, there are many desserts in Portugal, and today I’d like to unveil my favorites, the Portuguese desserts that I’m particularly fond of and that I urge you to try.

1 – Top 5 desserts in Portugal: tripa

The “tripa” … I love it! Don’t worry, it’s not tripe, but a kind of very thick pancake that’s not overcooked…. Yes, when you put it like that, it does sound rather filling, and indeed it is.

Tripa is not available everywhere in Portugal. So you’ll have to earn it 🙂 It’s a specialty ofAveiro, Portugal’s Venice, in central Portugal. So you’ll find it mainly in this region.

It can be garnished in many different ways, just like a crêpe. Personally, I like to eat them plain with a little cinnamon (a spice that’s ubiquitous in Portugal), but for those with a sweet tooth, there are other, higher-calorie options. In the “tripas”, you can melt any chocolate bar you like: Milka, Twix, Bounty, Kinder, Mars..

You can also fill them in a more traditional way with sugar, Nutella, jam, etc

But the “real” filling, the typical filling for tripas, is a mixture of eggs and sugar, a sort of yellowish paste found in many Portuguese delicacies such as ovos moles, bolas de Berlim, cornucopias..

For a good tripa, I recommend the tiny ” Tripas Tezero ” store, an institution located in the heart of Aveiro, near the canals. Alternatively, if you’re in the area around the beaches, I like to pick them up in the little street kiosks near the house-pyjamas in Costa Nova, and then enjoy the tripa while it’s still warm, with my feet in the sand.

I urge you to try this typically Portuguese snack.

The tripa

2 – My top 5 desserts in Portugal: tarte de amêndoas

This is MY Achilles’ heel when it comes to sweets in Portugal, but I’m a total fan of this pastry.

Tarte de amêndoas. Photo credit: eculinaria

Please note that there are several versions. The one I love is the version with the crunchier pastry, not the version with the chewy pastry. I’ve included photos of both versions so you can see the difference at a glance. Try this tart, you’ll love it!

Tarte de amêndoas.

3 – Top 5 desserts in Portugal: torta de laranja

There aren’t many Portuguese desserts with fruit or fruit flavoring, but “torta de laranja” is an exception. This subtle orange-flavored dessert is a kind of moist rolled cake made with orange juice, butter, eggs and sugar.

Dating back to the 16th century, its origin is not 100% certain, but many people agree that this Portuguese dessert originated in the convent of Nossa Senhora da Conceição de Lagos in the Algarve. Others say it originated in the Jesus convent in Setubal, south of Lisbon.

Whether it’s one region or the other wouldn’t be surprising, since both are renowned for their quality oranges. Either way, it doesn’t detract from the delicious taste of this dessert, which I’m particularly fond of!

Torta de laranja. Photo credit: sreceitasladecasa

4 – Top 5 desserts in Portugal: pastel de nata

It’s impossible not to know what pastel de nata is. I was reluctant to put it here, because I talk about it so often, but it’s still one of my favorite desserts in Portugal, so I had to mention it.

It’s a small flaky tart filled with an egg and sugar cream, to which you can add cinnamon or not, depending on your taste. It has a false air of flan pâtissier, and when you ask a Frenchman what it is, he’ll probably tell you: “a sort of small flan” But beware! Never say that to a Portuguese person, or you’ll incur their wrath 🙂 (reminds me of this extract from the film “Operation Portugal”)

This Portuguese dessert was created by the monks of Belém (a district of Lisbon), in a workshop located right next to the dos Jerónimos monastery. The workshop still exists, and the adjoining store, called ” Pasteis de Bélem “, is very popular, with endless queues. The “real recipe”, that of “pastel de Belém”, has always remained a secret and explains why the quality of pasteis de Belém is so renowned.

As I said, I love it, but as it’s THE most famous pastry in Portugal, I have to admit that there are a lot of places where these pasteis de nata aren’t so good after all. In one of my last articles on“breakfasts in Portugal “, I shared with you a tip on how to recognize a good pastel de nata in the blink of an eye (I’ll give you the tip in the photo below).

Pastel de nata

5 -Top 5 of my desserts in Portugal: Salame

I wanted to tell you about this dessert, because it’s one of the “rare” ones with chocolate. And since I love chocolate, I have to include this Portuguese sweet in my top 10. Salame is a traditional Portuguese dessert, as well as an Italian one.

This sweet is made with chocolate of course… and also the inevitable “bolacha Maria” cookies, butter, sugar and eggs. It’s called “salame” because it resembles “salami”, the Italian salami.

Salame. Photo credit: panelinhadesabores

In conclusion

Dare to try! That’s my advice. Whether you’re coming to Portugal to stay or to live, gastronomy is an integral part of Portuguese culture, so don’t hesitate to step out of your comfort zone and try out all the dishes on offer, from Portuguese dishes to Portuguese wines and desserts

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