Farófias is a classic Portuguese dessert that consists of clouds of meringue poached in milk and served with custard and a dusting of cinnamon powder. This dessert has a special place in the hearts of the Portuguese. Light and delicious, farófias comprise some of the best flavours of traditional Portuguese desserts: lemon, cinnamon, sugar, and eggs. On top of that it’s a fun dish to prepare, so keep reading to learn how to make Authentic Portuguese Soft Meringue Clouds with Custard!
Authentic Portuguese Farófias – Soft Meringue Clouds with Custard
A great deal of Portuguese desserts calls for large amounts of egg yolks, especially if they fall under the category of a ‘doce conventual’ or a sweet created in a convent. Farófias is an exception to this rule; egg whites are the star of the dish, whisked with sugar to create a French meringue, then cooked in milk infused with cinnamon and lemon peel. The infused milk is then mixed with sugar, and of course, egg yolks, to create a creamy custard that’s drizzled on top of the cooked meringue alongside some cinnamon powder.
Farófias – A Conventual Sweet?
The earliest known record of farófias dates back to the 18th century, and it points to a convent in Loulé as its place of origin. However, the dish is not popular for its convent ties but rather because it’s a traditional homestyle dessert. You will also find a similar dish in France called île flottante (floating island), where the meringue floats on a bed of creamy custard. The name Œufs à la neige is used interchangeably, meaning ‘snow eggs’ in French. The Portuguese word ‘farófias’ doesn’t have a direct translation, but all you need to know about farófias is how delicious they are.
How to Make Farófias – Portuguese Soft Meringue with Fresh Custard
To make farófias, the first step is to infuse the milk with lemon peel and a cinnamon stick. I also like to add some vanilla bean or vanilla bean paste. Add the milk to a large pan with the lemon, cinnamon, and vanilla. Slowly bring it to a simmer, then take off the heat and let it infuse with the lid on.
Now to make the French meringue, separate the egg whites from the yolks. Add the whites to the bowl of a stand mixer, beat with the whisk attachment on medium speed until it’s nice and foamy. With the mixer on, add the sugar little by little, then increase the speed to high and carry on whisking until the whites form stiff and glossy peaks.
How to Poach the Meringue
Now to poach the meringue, bring the milk back to a simmer. Use two spoons to shape your meringue clouds before gently dropping them into the milk. Don’t overcrowd the pan as it can make it difficult for you to take the meringue out. Cook for about 2 minutes on low heat, flipping the farofias halfway through. Take them out with a skimmer, allowing the excess milk to drip down into the pan, transfer to a serving dish. Repeat the process until you run out of meringue.
To make your custard, strain the infused milk into a smaller saucepan, add in sugar, egg yolks, and the corn starch previously dissolved in a little bit of cold milk. Cook over low heat stirring constantly until the mixture is thick enough to cover the back of a spoon. Allow it to cool down for a couple of minutes before drizzling over the meringue. Serve with a dusting of cinnamon powder!
How to Make Farófias – Portuguese Soft Meringue with Custard
Farófias – How to Make Portuguese Soft Meringue with Custard
8
servings15
minutes20
minutes207
kcalFarófias is a classic Portuguese dessert that consists of clouds of meringue poached in milk and served with custard and a dusting of cinnamon powder.
Ingredients
4 Eggs (Yolks and Whites Separated)
1 l Whole Milk
1 slices Lemon Peel
1 Cinnamon Stick
1/2 Vanilla Bean
180 g Sugar
1 tbsp Corn Starch
Cinnamon Powder – for Dusting
Directions
- Add the milk to a large pan for which you have a lid alongside the cinnamon stick and lemon peel. Cut the vanilla bean open, scrape the seeds off the pod with the back of a knife, add both the seeds and the pod to the milk. Bring to a gentle simmer, then take off the heat and cover with the lid.
- While the milk infuses, add the egg whites to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat with the whisk attachment over medium speed until the mixture foams up. With the mixer still on add the sugar little by little. Increase the speed to high and carry on whisking until it reaches stiff and glossy peaks.
- Bring the infused milk back to a simmer.
- Use two tablespoons to shape the meringue into ‘torpedoes’, then gently drop them into the milk. Cook for about 2 minutes flipping the farófias halfway through.
- Take them out with a skimmer, allowing the excess milk to drip down into the pan, transfer to a serving dish. Repeat the process until you finish the meringue.
- To make the custard, strain the infused milk into a small saucepan, add in the remaining sugar, egg yolks, and the corn starch previously dissolved in a little bit of cold milk.
- Cook over low heat stirring frequently until the mixture is consistent enough to cover the back of a spoon. Allow it to cool down for a couple of minutes before drizzling over the meringue. Serve with a dusting of cinnamon powder! Enjoy!
Tips
- When poaching the farófias make sure to not overcrowd the pan as it can make it a little difficult to take the delicate meringue out.
- The vanilla bean can be swapped for vanilla bean paste or extract.
Have you tried this recipe? Let me know in the comments!