Home Cook Together. Celebrate Life.

PortugueseAuthentic Cuisine

Baba de Camelo

Serves 4 to 6 Dessert vegetarian, Desserts

Baba de Camelo

Baba de Camelo, a treasured dessert in Portuguese homes, is often brought out to cap off a Sunday family meal or to celebrate festive occasions. Its origins are humble, rooted in the inventive use of readily available ingredients, making it a beloved staple across generations. This home-style version reflects the no-fuss, generous spirit of Portuguese family cooking, where quality olive oil and a pinch of sea salt are measured by instinct rather than precision.

Baba de Camelo offers a creamy texture with sweetened condensed milk balanced by lemon's tang, while toasted almonds provide a crunchy contrast to the velvety custard, capturing the comforting essence of Portuguese cuisine.

Ingredients

  • 1 cansweetened condensed milk — 397 g, boiled until caramelized
  • 6eggs — separated
  • 1 tbsplemon juice
  • 1 pinchfine sea salt
  • 80 gtoasted almonds — chopped

Method

  1. Begin by separating the 6 eggs, placing the yolks in a medium-sized mixing bowl and setting the whites aside for another use. Allow the yolks to come to room temperature, which helps them blend more smoothly with the other ingredients, ensuring a creamy texture in the final dessert.
  2. Open the can of sweetened condensed milk and pour it into a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Warm it gently over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. The goal is to heat the milk until it becomes slightly more fluid, but not to let it boil, which could cause it to thicken too much and affect the texture.
  3. Once the condensed milk is warmed, slowly whisk it into the egg yolks in a steady stream. This process is called tempering and prevents the yolks from curdling by gradually raising their temperature. Continue whisking until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
  4. Return the egg and milk mixture to the saucepan and place it over low heat. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon, ensuring the mixture doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. Cook until the custard thickens slightly and coats the back of the spoon, which should take on a glossy sheen and leave a clear trail when you run your finger through it.
  5. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and a pinch of fine sea salt. The lemon juice adds a subtle brightness that balances the sweetness of the condensed milk, while the salt enhances the overall flavor.
  6. Pour the custard into individual serving dishes or a single large dish, depending on your preference. Allow it to cool to room temperature, then transfer it to the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours. The custard should firm up but still have a slight wobble when gently shaken.
  7. Before serving, roughly chop 80 g of toasted almonds and sprinkle them over the top of the chilled custard. The almonds add a delightful crunch and a nutty contrast to the creamy texture of the Baba de Camelo. Serve chilled for the best texture and flavor experience.
Cover of Authentic Portuguese Cuisine
From the cookbook

Authentic Portuguese Cuisine

This recipe is from Authentic Portuguese Cuisine by Yassine Sbiti — the Portuguese volume in the ComidaTime International Cuisines series.