Ovos moles facts for kids
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| Place of origin | Portugal |
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| Region or state | Aveiro |
| Main ingredients | Egg yolks, sugar |
| Other information | Certification: PGI (2006) |
Ovos moles de Aveiro are a special sweet treat from Aveiro, Portugal. Their name means "soft eggs" in Portuguese. These delicious sweets are made from egg yolks and sugar. This sweet mixture is then put inside thin casings. These casings are often shaped like sea creatures, such as shells or fish.
In 2008, the European Union officially recognized Ovos moles. This means they are a special product from the Aveiro region. This recognition helps protect their traditional recipe.
History of Ovos Moles
Ovos moles are a very old sweet from the Aveiro area. They were first made by nuns living in local convents. These convents belonged to different religious groups. One important place was the Mosteiro de Jesus (Monastery of Jesus).
A popular story says that nuns used egg whites to clean their clothes. To avoid wasting the egg yolks, they used them to make sweets. Selling these sweets helped them earn money for their communities.
Later, in 1910, the convents were closed. The nuns then shared their secret recipes with other women. Ovos moles became even more popular. Women wearing traditional Aveiro clothes started selling them at the Aveiro train station. This station was on the main train line between Lisbon and Porto.
How Ovos Moles Are Made
Making ovos moles involves careful steps. First, the egg yolks are separated from the whites. Then, the yolks are mixed with about half their weight in sugar. This creates a very smooth and creamy mixture.
The mixture is stirred gently, not in circles. This helps keep it smooth. It is then heated in a copper pan. The mixture is cooked until you can see the bottom of the pan.
The Casings
The sweet egg yolk mixture is wrapped in a thin casing. These casings are made from rice paper or wheat flour. They look a bit like communion wafers. They are shaped into many different sea forms. You might see shapes like boats, clamshells, conches, fish, or other shells. Sometimes, the casings are dipped in a light sugar syrup. This makes them stronger and less see-through.
Shops that sell ovos moles often display them in pretty ceramic bowls. They also use wooden barrels. These containers are often painted with pictures of moliceiro boats. These boats are common in the Ria de Aveiro.
Chocolate Ovos Moles
There is also a special kind of ovos moles made with chocolate. These are covered in 63% cocoa chocolate. This chocolate version almost disappeared during World War II. This was because chocolate was very hard to find back then.
In December 2015, a group of ovos moles makers decided to bring them back. They created a standard recipe for the chocolate version. In Portuguese, these are called ovos moles de chocolate or ovos moles pretos (which means "black soft eggs").
See also
In Spanish: Ovos moles de Aveiro para niños
