Meet the Portuguese cheesecake: the queijada!
I can hear you saying “Well, it doesn’t look like a cheesecake to me!” That’s because they were invented a loooong time ago, before cream cheese was around (or fridges!). Technically, however, they *are* cheesecakes because they include queijo fresco, a type of cheese very common in Portugal, similar to cottage cheese.
There are several types of queijadas in the country, but the most famous is probably the one I’m showing here, aka, queijada de Sintra. If you go to Sintra you’ll find several shops selling these, with some very tiny differences between their recipes. Of all the brands of queijadas de Sintra the oldest is Sapa, which has its own shop. The first known reference to queijadas de Sintra dates back to the year of 1227. I did say it was an old recipe!
Unlike so many famous Portuguese sweets and pastries these are not eggy, but fluffy and moist, tasting of cinnamon without being too sweet. They’re on the small side (2 or 3 bites are enough to eat one queijada), so you don’t get too much of a guilty feeling for indulging in one of these.
Where can you find them? Besides Sintra, they’re usually sold in cafés in and around Lisbon.
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and for those who don’t care, they are sold in packs of 6! xD
The packs have the same effect of a bag of crisps: you open it and when you notice… they’re all gone! 😀
…. they sound nice … I don’t see them in the bakeries near me .. but I think I might have seen them in Coimbra .. so will try one next time I go … will make a change from a pastel de nata !
You can get them in Coimbra and should definitely try them, they’re lovely.
Maybe your local café doesn’t have them, but in city centers it shouldn’t be very difficult to get your hands on them. Do bear in mind there are several types of queijada
You MINX! How dare you post these photos of one of my most favourites foods when I am SO far away and have no chance of devouring one/all of them?! Fabulous. Lottie 😀
And how did you get to know queijadas de Sintra, if I may ask? 😀 I’m curious!
Of course! I had one of my most perfect days ever, in Sintra. It’s a place that you never forget. I think that I ate myself silly that day and drank the BEST coffee ever. Happy days!
I’ve checked the archives and believe I have read everyone of your posts – I think I’m addicted.
Ahah! Well, there are worse types of addiction. 😀 I’m glad that you’re liking the posts so much. Thank you!
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