Broas de Batata Doce: A Classic Portuguese Recipe for the Holidays!
Broas de Batata Doce are a cherished Portuguese treat, traditionally made for All Saints’ Day, or ‘Dia de Todos os Santos,’ when families come together to honor loved ones and celebrate with seasonal dishes. Originating in the northern regions of Portugal, these sweet potato tea-cakes (or broas) were historically made with cornmeal or chestnut flour, creating a dense, often rock-hard texture that kept well for winter. I remember my grandmother’s broas vividly—delicious, but so firm you’d almost need a hammer to break them!
What makes these Broas so full of flavour and soft?
These days, we’ve adapted the recipe, adding sweet potato for a softer, more tender texture. Not only does the sweet potato give them a lovely golden hue and natural sweetness, but it also makes these broas perfect for freezing, so you can enjoy a taste of Portugal anytime. The Sweet potato is the star of this recipe, lending natural sweetness, moisture, and a beautiful soft texture to the broas. While spices like cinnamon and anise provide warmth and a hint of traditional Portuguese flavour. Golden sugar adds a deep caramel sweetness that complements the spices perfectly, and a touch of butter brings everything together with a tender crumb. These ingredients not only make the broas taste amazing, but they also capture the essence of Portuguese autumn in each bite.
Broas de Batata Doce – Sweet Potato Tea-cakes
Equipment
- 2 Cookie Sheets
- Big Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 kg Sweet Potatoes cooked with a pinch of salt and pureed
- 500 g Yellow Sugar
- 5 Eggs
- 125 g Softened Butter
- 1 Zest of a Lemon
- 1-2 tbsp Cinnamon depending on taste
- 1-2 tbsp Ground Anise Seed depending on taste
- 1 kg All Purpose Flour plus more to bring dough together
- 1 tbsp Baking Powder
- 1 cup Walnuts Chopped
- 1 cup Raisins Chopped
- 1 egg for egg wash
Instructions
- perheat oven to 350F
- Prep two cookies sheets with parchment paper.
- Peel, quater and cook Sweet Potatoes with a pinch of Salt and puree, set aside to cool
- In a larger bowl with a woden spoon or wisk cream butter and sugar.
- Add in 5 eggs, one at a time.
- Add in sweet potatoes and stir.
- Add in cinnamon, ground anise seed and lemon rind.
- Combine flour and baking powder and add into the sweet potato mixture and stir until combined.
- Dump dough onto a floured surface and knead until it is no longer sticky, adding flour as needed 1 tbsp at a time. Add in chopped Walnuts and Raisins, and knead until they are well distribute in the dough. Roll out golf size tea-cakes and place on cookie sheet and brush with egg wash. Bake for 35-40minutes.