History

Queijadas are a Portuguese convent sweet, and Madeira's version leans on the fresh cheese made on the island rather than the harder mainland curd. They are eaten as breakfast with a galão, or mid-afternoon, and they are always small enough to finish in three bites. Unlike the pastel de nata, the filling is set rather than custardy, and the sugar on top caramelises into a thin crackled crust.

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Common allergens: Gluten, Milk, Egg

Make it at home

Yield Makes 12Hands-on 30 minTotal 1 hr 15 minDifficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

  • 250g plain flour
  • 125g cold butter, cubed
  • 1 tablespoon caster sugar
  • 3 tablespoons cold water
  • 300g fresh curd cheese or drained ricotta
  • 150g caster sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 tablespoon plain flour
  • Grated zest of 1 lemon
  • Pinch of salt

Method

  1. Rub the cold butter into the 250g flour with the tablespoon of sugar until the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs.
  2. Add the cold water and bring together into a dough without kneading. Wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
  3. Heat the oven to 190C. Roll the pastry thin and line a 12-hole tart tin, pressing the pastry up the sides.
  4. Beat the curd cheese with the 150g sugar, then beat in the eggs one at a time.
  5. Fold in the tablespoon of flour, the lemon zest and the salt until smooth.
  6. Fill each case to just below the rim and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until risen, set and blistered dark on top.
  7. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes before lifting out. They sink slightly as they cool, which is correct.

Tip from the editors. Drain the cheese properly first. Wet curd makes a filling that weeps and never sets to the right firmness.

Where to eat queijada da madeira

Queijada da Madeira in Funchal

Featured by TableJourney as a signature dish of Funchal. See where to eat Queijada da Madeira in Funchal or the Funchal signature dishes guide.

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