Alternative names | Encharcada de ovos;[1] Encharcada de fios de ovos;[2] Encharcada Alentejana;[3] Encharcada de Évora;[4] Encharcada conventual[5] |
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Type | Conventual sweet Pudding |
Course | Sobremesa |
Place of origin | Portugal |
Region or state | Évora, Alentejo |
Main ingredients | Egg yolks, sugar, water |
Ingredients generally used | Cinnamon, lemon zest |
Similar dishes | Fios de ovos, Doces de ovos |
Encharcada is a traditional Portuguese conventual sweet of egg yolks boiled in sugar syrup and then broiled.[6]
Like many other conventual sweets that developed in the 15th century, encharcada contains a substantial amount of egg yolks and sugar.[7] It is believed that the dish was created in the Convento de Santa Clara in Évora, Alentejo.[8] The dish is named after the method in which the eggs are cooked, encharcado, lit. 'to soak'―drenched, in hot sugar syrup.[9]
Doces de ovos and fios de ovos are similar conventual sweets made with the similar ingredients. Doces de ovos is cooked at a lower temperature in order to prevent curdling of the eggs.[10] Fios de ovos is drizzled into fine threads and drained before using it in other desserts.[11]
To prepare encharcada, nine egg yolks are separated from its whites. Two whole eggs are whisked with the egg yolks and then strained through a sieve. A cup of water is boiled. To it, two cups of sugar are added with lemon peel.[12] When the sugar syrup reaches 225°F (107°C),[13] the lemon peel is removed, and the egg yolk mixture is slowly drizzled into the syrup.[14] The curds are cooked for about 15 minutes, then drained into a dish, and sprinkled with ground cinnamon.[15] Optionally, the top is caramelized with a blowtorch or by broiling.[16]