Viúvas

Viúvas (Portuguese Almond Cakes)

Viúvas are delicate almond cakes from the Alentejo region of Portugal, made with ground almonds, sugar, and egg yolks. These bite-sized pastries are crisp on the outside and soft inside, perfect with coffee.

Prep

20 min

Cook

15 min

Total

35 min

Serves

20 small cakes

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •200 g (7 oz) ground almonds, almond flour, unsalted
• •200 g (7 oz) granulated sugar
• •4 large egg yolks, about 80 g / 3 oz
• •1 tsp finely grated lemon zest, from 1 lemon, or 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• •1/2 tsp vanilla extract, optional
• •1 pinch salt
• •20 whole blanched almonds, for decoration, optional

Steps

1. 1 Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. 2 In a mixing bowl, combine the ground almonds, sugar, and salt. Stir in the lemon zest (or cinnamon) and vanilla extract if using.
3. 3 Add the egg yolks to the dry mixture and mix with a wooden spoon until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms. If it is too dry, add a teaspoon of water; if too wet, add a little more ground almonds.
4. 4 With lightly floured hands, roll the dough into small balls or oval shapes, about 2.5 cm (1 inch) in diameter. Place them onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 3 cm apart.
5. 5 If using, gently press one whole almond onto the top of each cake, or alternatively sprinkle with flaked almonds.
6. 6 Bake in the preheated oven for 12–15 minutes, until the surface is golden brown and the cakes feel firm to the touch. The internal temperature should reach at least 90°C (194°F) to ensure the egg yolks are fully set.
7. 7 Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.