Travesseiros de Sintra

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Rolling pin
• •Food processor
• •Pastry brush
• •Fine-mesh sieve for dusting
• •Parchment-lined baking sheets
• •Wire cooling rack

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the détrempe

   In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Make a well in the center and pour in the ice-cold water. Mix with your hands until a shaggy dough forms. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly, just until it comes together. Don't overwork it. Shape into a rough square, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. The dough needs to be cold but pliable.

   Cold is everything in puff pastry. If your kitchen is warm, chill your bowl and work quickly. The butter must stay cold or you'll lose your layers.
2. 2

   Prepare the butter block

   Place the cold butter between two sheets of parchment paper. Pound it with a rolling pin to flatten, then fold and pound again. Shape it into a 15cm square about 1.5cm thick. The butter should be pliable but still cold. If it softens too much, refrigerate until firm again. This is your butter block.

3. 3

   Encase the butter

   On a floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a square large enough to wrap around the butter block with the corners meeting in the center (roughly 22cm). Place the butter diagonally in the center like a diamond. Fold the dough corners over the butter, pinching the seams to seal completely. You should have a neat package with no butter visible. This is called the paton.

   If butter peeks through, patch it with a bit of flour. Any exposed butter will cause uneven layers.
4. 4

   First turns

   Roll the paton into a rectangle about 50cm by 20cm, keeping the edges as straight as possible. Fold into thirds like a letter: bottom third up, top third down. This is one turn. Rotate the dough 90 degrees, roll out again to the same size, and fold into thirds once more. You've completed two turns. Wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

5. 5

   Complete the lamination

   Repeat the rolling and folding process two more times, for a total of four turns. Between each set of two turns, rest the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. After the final turn, refrigerate for at least 1 hour before using. The dough can be made up to 2 days ahead.

   Four turns gives you 81 layers of butter and dough. That's what creates the shatter. Don't skip turns. The pastry won't lie to you.
6. 6

   Make the almond filling

   While the pastry rests, grind the blanched almonds in a food processor until very fine, almost like flour. Be careful not to process so long they turn to paste. Transfer to a bowl and mix in the sugar, cinnamon, lemon zest, and flour. Add the egg yolks one at a time, stirring until you have a thick, smooth paste. The filling should be dense enough to hold its shape but not dry. Cover and refrigerate until needed.

7. 7

   Shape the travesseiros

   Roll the chilled puff pastry into a large rectangle about 3mm thick. Cut into rectangles roughly 10cm by 15cm. You should get about 12 pieces. Place a generous tablespoon of almond filling in the center of each rectangle, shaping it into a log along the shorter width. Brush the edges with beaten egg. Fold the pastry over the filling lengthwise, pressing the edges firmly to seal. The shape should resemble a small pillow.

   Don't overfill. The filling expands slightly as it bakes. Leave room for the pastry to puff around it.
8. 8

   Chill and prepare for baking

   Place the shaped travesseiros on parchment-lined baking sheets, seam side down. Refrigerate for 20 minutes. This firms the butter layers and helps the pastry rise evenly. Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F). Before baking, brush the tops with beaten egg, being careful not to let it drip down the sides where it could seal the layers.

9. 9

   Bake until golden

   Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until deeply golden brown and puffed. The pastry should be crisp and the layers visible along the edges. Rotate the pan halfway through for even browning. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack. Let cool for 10 minutes, then dust generously with powdered sugar through a fine sieve.

   The travesseiros should look almost too dark. That deep golden color is what gives them the shatter and the flavor. Pale pastry is undercooked pastry.
10. 10

    Serve with reverence

    Travesseiros are best eaten within hours of baking, when the pastry is still shattering and the filling is soft inside its golden shell. Serve with strong coffee or a glass of Moscatel de Setúbal. In Sintra, they eat them standing at the counter of the padaria, powdered sugar on their chins, not caring who sees. This is how it should be.

Chef Tips

• •Real puff pastry is non-negotiable here. Store-bought won't give you the shatter, the layers, or the butter flavor that defines a proper travesseiro. I know it takes time. That's the point.
• •Portuguese cinnamon (canela) is sweeter and more delicate than the cassia sold as cinnamon in most places. If you can find it, use it. It makes a difference in the filling.
• •The almonds should be ground fine but not to the point where they release oil. Pulse, don't process. You want flour, not almond butter.
• •If your kitchen is above 22°C, work in short bursts and return the pastry to the refrigerator often. Puff pastry is unforgiving of warm butter.

Advance Preparation

• •The puff pastry can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated, or frozen for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before rolling.
• •The almond filling can be made 3 days ahead and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before using so it spreads easily.
• •Shaped travesseiros can be frozen unbaked for up to 2 weeks. Bake from frozen, adding 5 minutes to the baking time.
• •Once baked, travesseiros are best eaten the same day. They lose their shatter after 24 hours.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 120g)