Traditional Portuguese Cheesecake Recipe (Queijadas de Sintra): 8 Ingredients by Ann Marie G. Halstead

Queijadas de Sintra, or Portuguese cheesecakes, are a traditional pastry found throughout Portugal. The pastry is said to have been around since the 13th century. The creamy cheesecakes have a flaky crust and rich, cheesy filling with a hint of sweetness.

All sorts of cheeses are used in these pastries – from mozzarella to goat cheese to ricotta. This Portuguese cheesecake recipe uses fresh (fresh is the key here!) mozzarella and is not hard at all to make.

Here is your shopping list for this Portuguese dessert recipe: all-purpose flour, salt, vegetable shortening, fresh mozzarella cheese (check out the health benefits of mozzarella cheese), butter, granulated sugar, ground cinnamon and egg yolks. These cheesecakes bake up in muffins tins.

Serve these delicious European cheesecakes for dessert after dinner, for breakfast with fresh fruit or as a not-too-sweet snack during the day. Traditionally the cheesecakes are eaten as a snack with coffee, tea or port wine.

Fun Fact: Queijadas de Sintra were so valued at one point that they were used as currency.

Cuisine: Portuguese
Prep Time: 30 minutes plus 2 hours to chill dough and filling
Cook Time: 18 to 20 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes plus 2 hours to chill dough and filling
Servings: 20

Ingredients

Dough

• 2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
• dash of salt
• 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
• 1/2 - 2/3 cup ice cold water

Filling

• 1/4 pound (4 ounces) fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into cubes and at room temperature
• 4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
• 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 4 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (not sifted)

Here's how to make it: 

1. To make the pastry, put the flour and salt into a mixing bowl. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, cut in the shortening until you get the texture of cornmeal. While stirring, slowly drizzle in the ice water until a dough forms. Shape the dough into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. 
2. To make the filling, put the cheese, butter, sugar and cinnamon into a food processor or stand mixer. Beat on high until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and beat 1 more minute. Add the egg yolks and beat well. Add the flour and start pulsing the food processor to just blend. Put the filling into a mixing bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
3. When ready to bake the cheesecakes, divide the dough in half. Roll both halves out as thin as you can on a lightly floured surface. Using a 3-inch biscuit cutter, cut out rounds. Reroll the scrapes together and cut out as many rounds as you can.
4. Put each round into a muffin tin cup. Fill each cup with the filling. Bake in a preheated 400-degree F oven for about 18 to 20 minutes or until filling puffs and is golden brown. Remove and cool to room temperature before serving. Store the cheesecakes in an airtight container in the fridge.

Recipe cooking times, nutritional information and servings are approximate and provided for your convenience. However, 30Seconds is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe, nor may you have the same results because of variations in ingredients, temperatures, altitude, errors, omissions or cooking/baking abilities. Any nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and it is up to the individual to ascertain accuracy. To ensure image quality, we may occasionally use stock photography.

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