Portuguese Doçaria Conventual
A Holiday Special
By Maria Pinho and Eduarda S. Machado
Since there are no festivities without a good dose of sugar, we introduce you to a very Portuguese philosophical concept: doçaria conventual. Doçaria conventual represents a rich and distinctive aspect of Portugal’s culinary heritage, steeped in history, religious symbolism, and regional variety. The origins of these traditional sweets can be traced back to the medieval period, primarily within the walls of monasteries and convents. The nuns and monks, often skilled in the art of confectionery, developed a variety of sweets using ingredients such as sugar, eggs, almonds, honey, and cinnamon – items that were both locally available and influenced by Portugal’s extensive trade networks during its imperial era.
The development of conventual sweets is intimately tied to the Catholic monastic tradition. Many of these recipes were born out of necessity, as nuns sought to create delicious ways to use surplus ingredients – especially egg yolks left over from the process of clarifying wine with egg whites, a common monastic practice. As a result, conventual sweets often have rich, egg-based textures and flavors. Iconic examples include pão de ló (a light, fluffy sponge cake), trouxas de ovos (a dessert made from egg yolks and sugar), pastéis de nata (custard tarts), and arroz doce (sweet rice pudding), among many others.
The use of sugar in these sweets also ties them to the rise of the Portuguese Empire. Portugal was one of the earliest European countries to establish sugar plantations in its colonies, and sugar became a key ingredient in Portuguese cuisine during the Renaissance. The introduction of spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, often from the East, further elevated the complexity and richness of Portuguese desserts, making them distinct from other European conventual traditions.
Conventual sweets were often prepared for religious celebrations and festivals, marking important events in the Catholic liturgical calendar. They were also offered to patrons and benefactors, serving as a symbol of the community’s gratitude. Many convents produced these sweets as a means of financial support, selling them to fund their religious activities.
The artistry involved in preparing these confections is noteworthy. Recipes were often closely guarded secrets passed down through generations of nuns, each adding her own special touch. The intricate preparation of some sweets, often requiring delicate techniques and hours of careful work, is reflective of the devotion and attention to detail that defined monastic life.
Today, doçaria conventual remains an essential part of Portuguese cuisine and culture. While modern methods have simplified some of the preparation techniques, many traditional sweets are still made using time-honored methods in monasteries and convents across the country. These desserts continue to symbolize Portugal’s culinary ingenuity, its religious and cultural heritage. The Livro das Receitas de Doces e Cosinhados Vários deste Convento de Santa Clara de Évora (COD 10763, BNP) is a 64-folio manuscript frequently cited as a key testament to this Portuguese conventual confectionery tradition.
(COD 10763, BNP, folha de rosto)
The ten recipes it contains were reportedly compiled under the supervision of Abbess Maria Leocádia do Monte do Carmo in 1729, at Santa Clara convent in Évora, an important female convent of the Franciscan Order. This document offers a glimpse into the rich culinary and cultural traditions of Portugal’s female convents, particularly during the early modern period.
(COD 10763, BNP, fs. 7 -8)
Since the Middle Ages, Portuguese monasteries have played a central role in society, often functioning as hubs of intellectual, spiritual, and artistic activity. Within these walls, nuns not only fulfilled their spiritual duties but also created and preserved knowledge through manuscripts. Recipe collections like this one served both practical and symbolic purposes, documenting culinary traditions, ensuring self-sufficiency, and expressing the ingenuity and resourcefulness of these communities.
Convents were key to preserving and innovating culinary techniques. Recipes were passed down or adapted within the cloistered walls, blending local traditions with influences from Portugal’s far-reaching empire. The use of sugar, spices, and exotic ingredients – such as cinnamon and nutmeg – underscores Portugal’s colonial connections and its integration into the global trade networks of the time.
This manuscript exemplifies the genre of conventual recipe books, which blend instructions for preparing sweets and dishes with reflections of monastic life. It includes recipes for doces conventuais, iconic sweets of Portuguese gastronomy, such as the already mention pão de ló, trouxas de ovos, barriguinhas de freiras, and other egg- and sugar-rich delicacies. These treats were often associated with religious festivals or presented as gifts to the convent’s patrons and benefactors.
What makes this manuscript particularly captivating is its simplicity, which reflects both culinary expertise and a contemplative spirit. It also highlights the importance of preserving culinary heritage as a cultural artifact. The recipes were likely not just for internal use, but also served as a means of passing down traditions within the community, ensuring continuity during times of change or decline in monastic life.
(COD 10763, BNP, fs. 9-10)
The Livro das Receitas aligns with other conventual recipe collections from Portugal, such as those from the Convent of Alcobaça or the Monastery of Santa Maria de Cós. These manuscripts share common themes: the extensive use of sugar, the focus on preserving surplus ingredients (like egg yolks left over from wine clarification), and the meticulous craftsmanship required in their preparation.
This document invites reflection on the intersections of material culture, spirituality, and identity. The recipes are not merely culinary instructions; they are records of a way of life that balanced the sacred with the practical. They show how nuns transformed everyday tasks like cooking into acts of devotion, charity and even artistic expression.
From a broader cultural perspective, the manuscript underscores the significance of preserving intangible heritage. Culinary traditions are essential to understanding a society’s history, values, and global interactions. The recipes reveal layers of social, economic, and religious meaning, showing that convents were not isolated but were active participants in their communities and in broader historical currents.
(COD 10763, BNP, fl. 16)
Now some perhaps-not-so-sweet plot twist: recent investigations have raised doubts about the manuscript’s authenticity, suggesting that parts of it may be forgeries. Linguistic anachronisms and similarities to later published works indicate that some sections could have been compiled in the 19th century, rather than in 1729, casting uncertainty on its historical claims. Additionally, the names of the religious figures mentioned in the manuscript do not appear in historical records from the Convent of Santa Clara in Évora. Notably, there is no reference to an abbess named Maria Leocádia do Monte do Carmo in 1729; the only individual by that name was a scribe at the convent at the end of the 18th century. These discrepancies challenge the manuscript’s status as an authentic 18th-century convent recipe collection.
Despite these doubts about its authenticity, the manuscript serves as a poignant reminder that even the simplest tasks – such as preparing a dessert – can hold profound historical, philosophical, and spiritual significance, connecting the past with the present in meaningful and very sweet ways. This Christmas season, we invite you to roll up your sleeves and try your hand at some of these recipes for your loved ones: https://purl.pt/38252/1/html/index.html.
©️Maria Pinho & M.E.S.Machado | “Portuguese Doçaria Conventual”, IPM Monthly 3/12 (2024).
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