Areias (Portuguese food)

Areias (singular: areia, lit. 'sand') are small traditional Portuguese pastries similar to cakes and biscuits. They are commonly coated with coarse-grain sugar ("sanding sugar"), and sometimes cinnamon, which resemble sand for which areias are named after.

Areias
Areias coated with sugar-cinnamon
Alternative namesBolacha; bolacinha
TypeBiscuit
Place of originPortugal
Main ingredientsWheat flour, almond (or hazelnuts), eggs, lard
Ingredients generally usedLemon zest, cinnamon
Similar dishesSandie (cookie), shortbread, Russian tea cake, snickerdoodle

Variants

Areias de Cascais (lit. 'areias from Cascais') or simply areias.[1] The traditional recipe calls for dough made of flour mixed with lard (or butter), rolled into balls the size of walnuts, that is baked without the use of a leavening agent.[2] The biscuits are then coated in coarse-grain sugar. Some modern recipes optionally use lemon zest or vanilla,[3] or incorporate ground almonds and glacé cherries.[4] Because of the simplicity of recipe, variations exists throughout Portugal.[5][6]

Areias Brancas
TypeCake
Place of originPortugal
Region or stateLourinhã
Created byEugenia Perdigão,
Maria Luísa Pereira
Main ingredientsAlmond, egg yolks, sugar
VariationsAguardente
Similar dishesMadeleine (cake)

Areias Brancas (lit. 'white sands') are moist flourless cakes containing finely ground almonds, egg yolks, and sugar.[11] Unlike other areias which are formed like cookie dough, this cake is made with a batter that are baked into small individual molds. After baking, the cakes topped with sanding sugar.[12]

The original unnamed cake recipe is believed to be derived from a conventual sweet created in Lisbon. When the over two-century year old cake recipe was taken out from the convent to Lourinhã, it was named after the nearby beach Praia da Areia Branca.[13] This traditional product is now a trademarked product made solely by a single family bakery, Casa das Areias Brancas.[12][14][15] In recent years, the bakery has also incorporated aguardente as an ingredient.[16]

In 2016, it was featured at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in a video entitled "The Most Famous Unknown Cake".[17]

See also

References
    1. Laskaris, Diana (2 February 2022). "Areias De Cascais Portuguese Cookies Recipe". Food Travelist. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
    2. Modesto, Maria de Lourdes (27 May 2021). Coisas Que Eu Sei (in Portuguese). Leya. ISBN 978-989-660-723-4. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
    3. Pereira, Berenice (7 July 2020). "Areias de Cascais". Cozinha Tradicional (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 23 October 2023.
    4. Tavares, Inês. "Areias: A Portuguese Delight for the Sweet Tooth". www.lisbon.vip. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
    5. Pereira, Berenice (4 April 2019). "Areias". Cozinha Tradicional (in Portuguese). Retrieved 23 October 2023.
    6. Abrantes, Miguel Carvalho (9 May 2018). What to Visit in Cascais, Oeiras and Sintra: A Native Tells You!. Miguel Carvalho Abrantes. ISBN 978-88-295-4165-2. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
    7. Pereira, Berenice (15 March 2020). "Areias do Sorraia". Cozinha Tradicional (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 23 October 2023.
    8. "Receita de Areias de Gengibre". saboreiaavida.nestle.pt (in European Portuguese). NESTLÉ. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
    9. "Receita de Areias de Doce de Leite". saboreiaavida.nestle.pt (in European Portuguese). NESTLÉ. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
    10. Lopes, Carlos Braz (22 December 2011). O Melhor Livro de Chocolate do Mundo (in Portuguese). Leya. p. 60. ISBN 978-972-46-2064-0. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
    11. "Areias Brancas". portugal.hi7.co. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
    12. Fernandes, Daniel. "Areias Brancas". Produtos Tradicionais Portugueses (in Portuguese). Direção-Geral de Agricultura e Desenvolvimento Rural. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
    13. Henriques, Marli (2 October 2018). "Areias Brancas". Devaneios de Chocolate (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 23 October 2023.
    14. "Areias Brancas". No Ponto (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 23 October 2023.
    15. Carvalho, Flávio (March 4, 2017). "Areias Brancas, Lourinhã". YouTube. No Ponto. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
    16. Ramalhinho, João (1 July 2015). "Pastéis de aguardente da Lourinhã fazem sucesso". Rádio e Televisão de Portugal (in Portuguese). Retrieved 23 October 2023.
    17. "Areias Brancas "The most famous unknown cake"". YouTube. Ray Gun Worldwide. Dec 23, 2020. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
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