The Catalan TableSericaia
Sericaia is a delicious custard with a spongy texture and a slightly crispy surface, made with whole milk, eggs, and sugar until achieving a smoothness that melts in the mouth.
Ingredients
Servings
4
Measurement units
Ingredients
- 500 mlwhole milk
- 6 egg
- 250 gsugar
- 65 gall-purpose flour
- 1 white cinnamon
- 1 lemon peel
- salt
- 2 tablespoonsground cinnamon
- a slightly deep and wide clay dish (the typical one for sericaia) or a casserole dish preferably made of clay or pyrex
Nutritional Information
Per serving
Calculated for 4 servings
Calories
497 kcal
Protein
15.1 g
Fat
11.9 g
Carbohydrates
85.4 g
Calculated from reviewed ingredient weights and pinned USDA FoodData Central records.
Step-by-step Guide
Preparation
- Sift the flour into a bowl and add part of the cold milk, stirring with a whisk to avoid lumps.
- Stir until the flour is completely dissolved, achieving a smooth and homogeneous batter texture.
- Bring the remaining milk to a boil with a cinnamon stick and the peel of a lemon, stirring occasionally.
- When the milk begins to boil, remove the pot from the heat and let it sit to cool slightly.
- Carefully separate the egg yolks from the whites, ensuring that no egg white is left with the yolks.
- Whiten the egg yolks with the sugar by beating vigorously until they acquire a frothy texture and almost triple their initial volume.
- Incorporate the fine flour paste into the whitened yolks and stir until the mixture is homogeneous.
- When the milk is warm, remove the cinnamon stick and lemon peel, discarding them.
- Gradually add the flavored milk to the yolk mixture, stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming.
- Transfer the resulting cream to a saucepan and heat it over medium heat, stirring continuously until it thickens slightly.
- Once the cream has thickened, remove it from the heat and let it cool in a bowl at room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 180 ºC, ensuring the temperature is consistent before starting to bake.
- Meanwhile, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form, adding a pinch of salt for stability.
- When the cream is cold, gently fold the beaten egg whites into the cream using a spatula and a folding motion to avoid deflating them.
- Grease the clay dish or the mold you will use to bake the sericaia with butter, and fill the container with the mixture using spoonfuls. Note: If you don't have the typical mold, you can use a clay pot or a Pyrex mold. Individual ceramic molds are also acceptable.
- Sift a layer of ground cinnamon evenly over the entire batter, covering it uniformly.
- Bake at 180 ºC for about 40 minutes, until the sericaia is golden and firm to the touch.
- Let the sericaia cool at room temperature before handling.
- Once cooled, place it in the refrigerator for 24 hours to allow it to set and the flavors to concentrate before serving.
Recommendations & Tricks
- Advance Preparation: Sericaia is a traditional cake from Elvas, Portugal, and it is recommended to prepare it the day before to allow the flavors to blend well and the texture to improve.
- Resting Time: After baking, let the sericaia cool completely at room temperature before refrigerating it overnight.
- Precise Measurement: Use a kitchen scale to measure exactly 250 g of sugar and 65 g of all-purpose flour; these proportions are crucial for the cake's consistency.
- Aromatic Infusion: Heat 500 ml of whole milk with the cinnamon stick and lemon peel, avoiding the white part which is bitter, to achieve a deep and balanced flavor.
- Perfect Beating: Beat the eggs with a pinch of salt until they are very frothy; this will help achieve a light texture.
- Uniform Integration: Gradually add the sifted flour while stirring to prevent lumps from forming in the batter.
- Final Touch: Generously sprinkle ground cinnamon over the entire surface of the sericaia before baking to achieve an unmatched aroma and a rustic appearance.
Original recipe
View or download the original PDF document.