The Queijadas de Vila Franca, better known as the Queijadas da Vila, is a typical sweet shop on the island of São Miguel and as the name implies are produced in Vila Franca do Campo. In the locality they are known by the “Queijadas do Morgado”, they are already known not only by the local population but also by those who come to visit the island and end up tasting the authentic queijadas or even taking them to family and friends. If you were not aware of the famous Queijadas da Vila and you are planning to visit the island of São Miguel, be sure to taste them and take them to your loved ones.
However, there is an interesting story behind the delicious taste of the queijadas. It was initiated and created by the nuns who lived in the old Santo André Convent, located in Vila Franca do Campo. In this way, the recipe was created by them and today it is considered a relic of the conventual confectionery of the Azores. The ingredients used by the nuns were: milk, eggs (the yolks) and sugar, sugar being responsible for the texture and unmistakable taste of the cheeses.
It is possible to see the process of confection of the Queijadas da Vila by visiting the Queijadas da Vila do Morgado factory, and also to try the famous and delicious queijadas so famous on the island of São Miguel.
The production of traditional Queijadas da Vila has been increasing due to the great demand in recent years, and after the innovation of resources and ingredients even more. It is, without a doubt, part of the regional confectionery.
However, the recipe is no secret. But it must be stressed that there is a pinch of secrecy in their factory because these cheeses are unequalled.
Ingredients:
For the dough
½ Lard (soup) spoon
1 Spoon (dessert) of sugar
1 Spoon (soup) of butter
1 Egg
250 g of flour
Salt q.b.
For the filling and covering
1 Clear
1 Spoon (tea) of butter
1 Spoon (soup) of flour
2 l of milk
250 g of sugar
6 Gems
Coagulum q.b.
Powdered sugar for covering
Confection:
Start by preparing the filling. Amorne the milk, adding the curds in the indicated proportions. Cover the container and let it curdle.
Remove the curd with a cloth and squeeze the serum to come out, in order to obtain a very dry paste. Knead to become very thin.
Add the yolks, the white, the sugar, the butter and the flour. After well mixed, bring it to boil over low heat. Remove from the heat and after cooling a little, pass through a sieve or fine sieve. Reserve in the refrigerator.
The dough should be prepared the next day.
Knead the indicated ingredients with a little warm water, in order to obtain a dough that can extend. Wrap it in a napkin and let it rest.
Roll out the thin dough with the flour sprinkle. With a glass or a dough cutter, cut it in circles with 12 cm of diameter. As you cut them, leave them in the air on the table.
Then, in the centre of each circumference place a small pile of the prepared filling. Arranging it with a toothpick, pull the dough upwards, leaning it against the filling and making it like a corrugated box.
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round each cheese place a strip of baking paper about 2 cm high, which will support the dough.
Bake the cheeses in a medium oven and, after baking, sprinkle the surface abundantly with powdered sugar.