Ovos Moles de Aveiro

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Heavy-bottomed saucepan
• •Candy thermometer (recommended)
• •Fine-mesh sieve
• •Wooden spoon
• •Piping bag with small round tip

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the yolks

   Pass the egg yolks through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing with a spatula. Then pass them through again. And once more. Yes, three times. The yolks must be perfectly smooth, like liquid gold, with no trace of membrane or chalazae. This step separates good ovos moles from great ones. Set aside.

   Room temperature yolks sieve more easily. Cold yolks resist and clump. Take them out of the refrigerator an hour before you begin.
2. 2

   Cook the sugar syrup

   Combine the sugar and water in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves completely. Stop stirring. Now you wait and watch. Bring to a boil and cook until the syrup reaches 114°C (237°F), the soft ball stage. If you don't have a thermometer, drop a tiny bit of syrup into cold water. It should form a soft, pliable ball that flattens when pressed. This is the ponto de cabelo, the hair point. The nuns knew it by instinct. You'll learn it too.

   Don't stir once the sugar dissolves. Stirring causes crystallization. If crystals form on the sides of the pan, brush them down with a wet pastry brush.
3. 3

   Temper the yolks

   Remove the syrup from heat and let it cool for exactly 2 minutes. It should stop bubbling but remain very hot. Now, whisking constantly, pour a thin stream of hot syrup into the sieved yolks. Go slowly. If you dump it in, you'll have sweet scrambled eggs. The stream should be as thin as thread. Whisk without stopping until all the syrup is incorporated and the mixture is uniform and golden.

4. 4

   Cook the filling

   Return the mixture to the saucepan over very low heat. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon, reaching into every corner of the pan. The mixture will thicken gradually, becoming glossy and pulling away from the sides. This takes 8 to 12 minutes. You're looking for the moment when you drag the spoon across the bottom and the mixture holds the line for a second before flowing back. It should coat the spoon thickly but still flow. Remove from heat immediately.

   The filling will continue to thicken as it cools. If you cook it until it seems done, it will become too stiff to pipe. Stop when it still looks slightly loose.
5. 5

   Cool the filling

   Transfer the filling to a shallow dish and press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Let it cool completely to room temperature, about 90 minutes. Don't refrigerate. Cold filling becomes too stiff to work with. The texture should be like thick pastry cream when ready.

6. 6

   Prepare your workspace

   Lay out the hóstia wafer shells on a surface dusted lightly with rice flour. Have a small bowl of water nearby. The wafers are delicate, thin as communion hosts, because that's exactly what they once were. Handle them gently. Separate the top and bottom halves of each mold.

7. 7

   Fill the wafers

   Transfer the cooled filling to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip, or use a small spoon. Fill the bottom half of each wafer shell generously but not overflowing. The filling should dome slightly above the edge. Dip your finger in water and moisten the edge of the bottom wafer, then press the top half gently to seal. The moisture helps the wafers bond. Press the edges together, sealing the filling inside.

   Work quickly once you start filling. The wafers absorb moisture from the air and become soft and difficult to handle. If they start to wilt, you've waited too long.
8. 8

   Cure and store

   Place the filled ovos moles on a tray lined with parchment. Let them sit uncovered at room temperature for 24 hours. This allows the wafers to set firmly around the filling. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. Never refrigerate. The cold destroys the texture of both filling and wafer.

Chef Tips

• •The hóstia wafers are essential and not substitutable. You can find them at Portuguese specialty shops or online. They come in traditional shapes: conchas (shells), peixes (fish), barricas (barrels). If you can't find them, you can serve the filling in small glass dishes as ovos moles sem hóstia, but it's not the same experience.
• •Fifteen yolks sounds like a lot. It is. Save the whites for making suspiros (meringues) or clarifying stock. The nuns wasted nothing, and neither should you.
• •The filling should taste intensely of egg yolk, almost custardy but denser. If it tastes only of sugar, you've overcooked the syrup or undercooked the filling. The yolk flavor should dominate.
• •Traditional ovos moles from Aveiro have a slightly grainy texture from the sugar. This is intentional. The filling shouldn't be as smooth as pastry cream. That subtle graininess is part of the authentic experience.

Advance Preparation

• •The filling can be made a day ahead and kept at room temperature, covered with plastic wrap pressed directly on the surface.
• •Filled ovos moles need 24 hours to cure before serving. Plan accordingly for special occasions.
• •These keep for up to one week stored airtight at room temperature. They do not freeze well and should never be refrigerated.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 17g)