Learn to make molotof, a flan-like Portuguese dessert with this recipe from Portuguese Home Cooking.
While the word molotof may conjure up images of something explosive, there will be no explosions here! Only the heavenly sensation of sweet cloud puffs melting in your mouth. Imagine a typical flan...a custardy, jello-like dessert topped with caramelized sugar. Now infuse it with the delicate airiness of egg white meringue. THAT'S Portuguese molotof pudding.
Imagine a typical flan...a custardy, jello-like dessert topped with caramelized sugar. Now infuse it with the delicate airiness of egg white meringue.
This recipe was shared exclusively with us from the cookbook, Portuguese Home Cooking, whose recipes were authored by Ana Patuleia Ortins.
Ana highly recommends using an electric mixer to help your meringue get as light and airy as possible. And before you even begin to assemble your ingredients, you will need an 8-cup capacity angel food cake pan or bundt pan, as well as a larger pan that it fits into for the banho maria (water bath).
Molotof Pudding Recipe
Level: Intermediate
Servings: 10 - 12
Prep & Cook Time: Approximately 1 hour
Ingredients:
For the meringue:
16 large egg whites at room temperature (save 6 yolks for the sauce)
1 cup (7 oz.) sugar + 3 extra tablespoons
For the sauce:
2 cups whole milk
5 tablespoons sugar
Grated zest of 1 lemon
6 egg yolks
Directions:
FOR THE MERINGUE
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and butter and angel food cake pan or bundt pan with an 8-cup capacity.
2. In a large bowl, beat the egg whites until frothy using the high speed of an electric mixer. Continue beating, gradually adding the 1 cup of sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form, then set aside.
3. In a 1-quart saucepan placed over medium heat, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar without stirring, until lightly caramelized, 10 to 15 minutes. While it is still hot, quickly whisk half of the caramelized sugar syrup into the egg whites (reserve the rest of the syrup).
4. Carefully transfer the egg white mixture to the buttered pan. Set this in a larger deep pan. Pour enough water into the larger pan to come halfway up the side of the meringue pan, forming a water bath. Set the pans in the oven and bake for 20 minutes without opening the door. Turn off the oven and leave the meringue in the oven for another 20 minutes. Carefully remove the pans from the oven. Remove the meringue pan from the larger pan and set aside to cool.
FOR THE SAUCE
5. In the saucepan containing the reserved caramelized sugar (which may be hard), combine the milk, sugar, and lemon zest. Warm over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved and the milk is scalded (heated to just under boiling). When you see tiny bubbles around the edges and steam rising from the milk, turn off the heat and allow to cool slightly.
6. In a medium bowl, beat the egg yolks. Then quickly whisk a small amount of the warm milk mixture into the yolks to temper them. Add the yolk mixture to the pan of milk. Stirring constantly, slowly reheat the milk mixture over medium-low heat until it thickens to the consistency of heavy cream. Chill the sauce until ready to serve.
7. Unmold the meringue by dipping the bottom briefly in a bowl of hot water. Invert onto a rimmed serving platter and chill. Drizzle some of the sauce over the meringue. Slice into wedges as you would a cake and drizzle additional sauce over each serving.
This recipe appears in Portuguese Home Cooking, written by Ana Patuleia Ortins. Her cookbook features a wide array of traditional Portuguese recipes as well as recipes adapted by Portuguese communities in the U.S. If you love cooking and want to expand your repertoire of Portuguese cuisine, purchase it on Amazon here.
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