Pastel de nata is probably the most famous pastry in Portugal and almost every visitor tries one. But when you enter a normal Portuguese pastelaria you will see many other classics. Some are very traditional, others came from different countries, they are part of the daily pastry culture in Portugal.
Here are a some of my favourites:
Bolo de arroz: Despite the name, it is not really a cake made of rice. It is a light muffin made with rice flour, usually baked in tall paper wrapped around the cake.
Jesuíta: A triangular puff pastry with a sweet sugar and egg glaze on top. The texture is crispy and slightly sticky.
Bola de Berlim: A Portuguese version of the Berlin doughnut. Soft fried dough filled with egg custard. In the summer you often see people selling them on Portuguese beaches.
Pastel de feijão: A small tart made with almond and white bean filling. It may sound unusual, but the taste is sweet.
Mil-folhas: Layers of crispy puff pastry with cream in between. Inspired by the French mille-feuille.
Palmier: A simple puff pastry biscuit shaped like a palm leaf. Crispy, caramelised with sugar, and perfect with coffee.
In Lisbon you will find these pastries in almost every neighbourhood pastelaria.
Which one is your favourite?
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