Tigelada facts for kids
Tigelada (say "tee-jeh-LAH-dah") is a yummy dessert from Portugal. It's often called Tigelada de Abrantes because it's very popular in the city of Abrantes. This sweet treat is usually baked in a special wood-fired oven. It cooks in a hot, shiny clay bowl. In a place called Peral, they even have a festival on May 1st, called Festa das Tigeladas, to celebrate these bowls and the dessert!
What Does Tigelada Look Like?
A Tigelada is shaped like a flat, round disk. It's about 2 cm (0.79 in) thick and 10 to 12 cm (3.9 to 4.7 in) wide. It has a nice yellow-brown color. The bottom of the Tigelada looks a bit like a honeycomb. This happens because the clay bowl gets super hot in the oven before the mix goes in!
What is Tigelada Made Of?
Tigeladas are made with simple ingredients. They use eggs, milk, flour, sugar, lemon, and a little bit of salt.
Where Did Tigelada Come From?
Tigelada comes from the Lisboa e Vale do Tejo region of Portugal. People found old recipes for a sweet called Tigeladas de D.ª Maria de Vilhena. This recipe was in a cookbook from a princess named Infanta D.ª Maria. It's very similar to the Tigelada we know today!
Many people think Tigelada is a "convent sweet." This means it was first made in convents by nuns. There are old papers in the city of Abrantes that show recipes from the Convento da Graça de Abrantes. These papers include the recipe for Tigeladas. Even though many places in Abrantes claim to be its origin, it's clear it has a long history there!
