Serradura is a classic Portuguese dessert made only with three ingredients (Marie biscuits, heavy cream, and sweet condensed milk). It’s absolutely delicious and really popular in Portugal, you will find it in most restaurants and tascas. With just three ingredients and no baking needed, it’s also one of the simplest Portuguese desserts you’ll come across. Keep reading to learn how to make this Authentic Portuguese Sawdust Pudding!
Why is It Called Sawdust Pudding?
When it comes to naming dishes, especially desserts, there’s no limit to Portuguese creativity. You have Baba de Camelo (Camel’s Drool), Natas do Céu (Cream from Heaven), and Sonhos (Dreams) just to name a few. Serradura is another Portuguese dessert with a peculiar name. It means ‘sawdust’ in Portuguese, a reference to the layer of ground Marie biscuits that resembles fine sawdust.
Serradura and the Connection to Macau
During the colonial period, Serradura was introduced to places like Goa and Macau. In Macau it became particularly popular. It extends beyond Portuguese-style restaurants, and you will even find entire shops dedicated to the dessert and its variations. One shop even sells a birthday cake style serradura, and different flavours such as durian, and mango. I can’t say I ever tried the Macanese sawdust pudding, but I absolutely love the Portuguese Serradura. It simply sums up Portuguese desserts, simple, coherent, and delicious!
Ingredients for an Authentic Portuguese Serradura
If you have thirty minutes and these three ingredients, then you can make Serradura. That is, sweet-condensed milk, heavy cream, and Marie biscuits. Marie biscuits or how they’re called in Portugal, Bolacha Maria, are sweet biscuits similar to a rich tea. They are a staple in Portugal and are included in many traditional desserts.
How to Make Serradura (Portuguese Sawdust Pudding)
Serradura has two different components, crushed Marie biscuits, and a mousse made by combining whipped heavy cream with condensed milk. To crush the biscuits, you can either use a food blender or crush them by hand with a pestle and mortar. Their texture should resemble coarse sand or ‘sawdust’.
Now, to make the mousse, all you have to do is whip the heavy cream into medium-soft peaks. You then add in the condensed milk, and optionally, a teaspoon of vanilla paste, and continue to whisk for another 3-5 minutes to incorporate.
To assemble your serradura, add a thin layer of biscuit to a dessert bowl, then top with a slightly thicker layer of cream. Continue to build the layers until the bowl is filled to the top, finishing with a layer of cream. Refrigerate for about 4 hours before serving. You can garnish with more crushed biscuits, berries, chocolate shavings, or chopped nuts.
Serradura – Portuguese Sawdust Pudding Recipe
Serradura – Portuguese Sawdust Pudding Recipe
8
servings30
minutes0
minutes430
kcalSerradura is a classic Portuguese pudding made with crushed Marie biscuits, heavy cream, and condensed milk.
Ingredients
200 g Marie Biscuits or Rich Tea Biscuits
1 tin Sweet-Condensed Milk (370g)
400 g Heavy Whipping Cream
1 tsp Vanilla Paste
Directions
- Start by crushing the biscuits with a food processor until they reach the texture of coarse sand or ‘sawdust’. This can also be done by hand with a pestle and mortar, set aside.
- To make the mousse, add the heavy cream to a stand mixer bowl. Whisk with the whisk attachment at medium speed for about 10 minutes or until medium-soft peaks start to form (the cream should hold its shape but isn’t too stiff).
- Pour in the condensed milk and the vanilla. Continue to whisk over medium speed until it’s fully incorporated.
- To assemble the Serradura, put aside about 8 dessert bowls or glasses. Fill each with a thin layer of crushed biscuits. Add a thicker layer of the mousse on top.
- Repeat the process until the bowls are filled to the top, finishing with a layer of mousse. Make sure to set aside a little bit of crushed biscuit for garnish.
- Cover with cling film, then pop in the fridge for about 4 hours.
- Garnish with more crushed biscuits before serving. Enjoy!
Recipe Video
Notes
- You can also assemble your serradura in a big dessert bowl.
- For an ice cream texture, try freezing your serradura instead of refrigerating it.
- Get creative. Replace Marie biscuits with Digestives, Biscoff, or Oreo biscuits.
Have you tried this recipe? Let me know in the comments!