Portuguese Christmas Sweet Almond Bread Pudding • Migas Doces Alentejanas

Migas are a traditional Portuguese preparation of cooked bread, they can be savory, like the famous migas alentejanas, or they can be sweet like these migas doces hehehe. This particular recipe is a classic Christmas dessert from the Alentejo region of Portugal, though variations exist throughout the country.

What makes these migas special is their unique texture, slightly granular with no bread taste whatsoever, transforming into something between a rich egg custard and creamy bread pudding. The sultanas and almonds add texture and shift the aromatics, making each bite a little different from the last.

Now, I’ll be honest…. these are pretty sweet. Really sweet. But that’s kind of the point with some of the more traditional Portuguese Christmas desserts! A small bowl is perfect, maybe with a little coffee on the side. You don’t want a huge plate of this (well, maybe you do, but trust me, a little goes a long way). It’s the kind of dessert that makes you understand why Portuguese grandmothers always serve desserts in small portions. You can save room for the other Christmas sweets! Let’s check the recipe!

Portuguese Christmas Sweet Almond Bread Pudding • Migas Doces Alentejanas

Servings: 8
Time: 1hr
Difficulty: Easy
Rating: ★★★★★
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Portuguese Migas doces are a cross between a custard and a a sorf of sweet bread pudding, delicious and a real Portuguese Christmas treat.

Ingredients

Bread – 500g (Rustic Bread Crumbs)
Sugar – 180g
Almond Flour – 100g (or Finely Ground Almonds)
Almonds – 100g (Granulated/Coarsely Chopped)
Sultanas – 50g
Egg Yolks – 12
Cinnamon – 1 Stick
Lemon – 1 Peel
Cinnamon – For Sprinkling

Directions

Start by finely grinding the bread crumbs in a food processor. Set aside.
In a saucepan, bring 500ml of water to the boil with the sugar, lemon peel, and cinnamon stick. Boil for 5 minutes to intensify the flavors.
Add the almond flour and ground bread crumbs to the saucepan and mix well, remove from the stove.
In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks and gradually add them to the previous mixture, stirring constantly so that the egg yolks do not cook immediately.
Return the mixture to the stove, stirring continuously. Cook until it reaches a thick and creamy consistency.
Remove the pot from the heat and add the chopped almonds and sultanas. Mix everything well to incorporate the ingredients.
Pour the mixture into individual bowls or a large serving bowl and leave to cool.

Serve the these Sweet Almond Migas decorated to taste. Sprinkle with a little cinnamon and add more dried fruit to taste on top. Enjoy!

Notes: You can also swap the chopped almonds for chopped walnuts if you prefer.

Make sure to stir constantly when adding the egg yolks—you want them to create a custard, not scrambled eggs!

The mixture will thicken considerably as it cools, so don’t worry if it seems a bit loose when you first take it off the heat.

Use day-old rustic bread for the best texture. Fresh bread can become too gummy.

Remove the cinnamon stick and lemon peel before serving, or leave them in for presentation and remove them as you serve.

These can be made a day ahead and refrigerated. They actually taste better the next day when all the flavors have melded together.

Serve in small portions—this is a rich, intensely sweet dessert. A little coffee or espresso on the side cuts through the sweetness nicely.

Traditional clay bowls (tigelas de barro) are the authentic serving vessel, but any small dessert bowls will work perfectly.

This recipe for Portuguese Christmas Sweet Almond Bread Pudding • Migas Doces Alentejanas was originally created on BakeAfter.com. Esta receita de Migas Doces de Amêndoa com Passas e Pinhões foi publicada em português no Iguaria.com.