Travesseiro (Portuguese pillows from Sintra)
These crunchy, sweet treats are made with a combination of puff pastry and a rich mixture that consists of almonds and egg yolks. Travesseiros, which translates to pillows is a signature dessert of Sintra. They are produced and sold at Piriquita, pastry shop.
Ingredients
- 2 boxes puff pastry about 2 pounds
- ½ cup water
- 1½ cups sugar
- 1½ cups almond flour
- 5 egg yolks
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 egg beaten for egg wash
Topping
- 1 tbsp melted butter
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
Instructions
- The puff pastry should be taken out of the freezer and put in your refrigerator 8 to 24 hours before you plan on using it.
- In a pot add the water and suger. Over meduim heat, bring the mixture to a boil. Once it begins to boil lower the heat and simmer for 2 more minutes. (if you have a thermometer, the mixture should be about (223 – 234 F. (106 – 112 C ).
- Add the salt and cinnamon to the sugar water mixture.
- Take the pot off of the heat, and allow the mixture to cool off for 10 minutes.
- In a small bowl, add the egg yolks and whisk them. Then slowly add about 1/2 cup of the warm sugar mixture to the egg yolks while whisking. Next slowly pour the egg yolk mixture into the pot with the rest of the sugar water mixture, while whisking.
- Now add the almond flour to the pot that contains the sugar egg yolk, cinnamon mixture. While stirring over medium heat, bring the mixture up to a gentle boil. Once it begins to boil, turn off the heat. If you have a thermometer, bring this mixture up to 175°F (80°C)
- Put the mixture in the refrigerator and allow it to cool down for at least 20 minutes.
- Now take your puff pastry out of the box and put it on a lightly floured surface. Cut the puff pastry into square shapes about 5 inches on each side.
- Put about a tablespoon of the filling on top of each square of puff pastry. There should be about a half inch gap between the filling and the edge of the pastry.
- On this half inch border brush a little bit of egg wash (the egg wash acts like a glue). Now fold over the puff pastry into a rectangle shape and press the edges together.
- After you make each pastry place it on a cookie sheet pan inside the refrigerator, until you're ready to bake it.
- Take the pastries in a preheated oven 500°F (260°C) after you put the pastries in the oven and close the door, you could lower the temperature to 450°F (232°C)
- Bake for about 20 minutes. The pastries should be a rich, golden color, (not a light, pale, golden color).
topping
- Allow the pastries to cool off for 5 to 10 minutes, then melt about 2 tablespoons of butter and brush it onto the pastries. Then immediately sprinkle the top with granulated sugar.
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