Pastel de Santa Clara

Though they come in various sizes and shapes, Santa Clara pastries always combine the thin and crispy dough with a sweet almond and egg yolk filling. The pastries were named after the Santa Clara convent in Coimbra, where they were invented and prepared by nuns. It is believed that the pastries were popularized in the 19th century when the nuns started selling them to numerous students in Coimbra. Due to migration, in the 20th century, pastéis de Santa Clara were introduced to Brazil, where they quickly became quite popular. Though they are a signature sweet of Coimbra, the pastries can be found in other Portuguese regions. They can be enjoyed warm, at room temperature, or chilled, and are always dusted with powdered sugar.