Travesseiros de Sintra

Name: Travesseiros de Sintra
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Portuguese
Ingredients: 200g Blanched Ground Almonds, Almond meal; 200g Granulated Sugar; 120ml Water; 6 large Egg Yolks; 1 Cinnamon Stick; 1 strip of Lemon Peel, No white pith; 500g All-Butter Puff Pastry, Ready-rolled or block; 1 large Egg, Beaten, for egg wash; 2 tbsp Granulated Sugar, For dusting; 1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon, For dusting

Travesseiros de Sintra are pillowy, golden pastries filled with a fragrant almond cream—crispy, buttery puff pastry encasing a silky, cinnamon‑and‑lemon scented almond filling. They make an irresistible treat warm from the oven, with a sparkling sugar–cinnamon finish that gives a perfect sweet crunch. Elegant yet comforting, these Portuguese pillows are ideal for dessert or a special breakfast.

Travesseiros de Sintra are pillowy, golden pastries filled with a fragrant almond cream—crispy, buttery puff pastry encasing a sil... Show more

Traditional Portuguese Recipe

Health Grade

D- · Occasional

Rating

4.0

Time

1 hr

Price

1,09 €

Calories

664 kcal

vegetarian

holiday/special occasion

portuguese

gourmet

Method

Make the filling

In a small saucepan, combine the water, granulated sugar, cinnamon stick, and lemon peel. Bring it to a boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves, then simmer for 2 minutes to make a light syrup. Stir in the blanched ground almonds and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture turns into a thick paste that starts to pull away from the pan. Remove the cinnamon stick and lemon peel, beat in the egg yolks one at a time, then return the pan to low heat and cook for 1 minute more, stirring constantly, until the filling is smooth, glossy, and thick enough to hold its shape.

Cool the filling

Transfer the almond filling to a shallow bowl and spread it out a little so it cools evenly. Let it stand for 15 minutes, or until it is no longer warm to the touch and feels thick enough to mound neatly.

Preheat the oven

Preheat the oven to 200° C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Cut the pastry

Unroll the all-butter puff pastry on a cool work surface. If it comes as a block, roll it between two sheets of parchment until you have an even sheet, then cut it into 8 equal rectangles. Keep the pastry moving as little as possible so the butter stays cold and the layers stay flaky.

Fill and seal

Spoon the cooled filling into the center of each pastry piece, leaving a clear border all around. Fold each rectangle over to make a pillow shape, press the edges firmly to seal, and place the pastries seam-side down on the prepared tray. Brush the tops with the beaten egg for a shiny, golden finish.

Bake until golden

Bake for 18–22 minutes, or until the pastries are deeply golden, puffed, and crisp all over. If your oven browns unevenly, turn the tray halfway through baking so they colour evenly.

Dust and serve

Let the pastries sit for 5 minutes, then dust them with the remaining granulated sugar and the ground cinnamon. Serve warm, while the pastry is crisp and the almond filling is soft.