These sweet, crisp pastries are traditionally served at Christmas time and represent the sheets on the bed of the baby Jesus.

• 1 lb 6 oz | 610g wheat flour
• 1 tsp fine salt
• 1 heaped tsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp lard
• 16 egg yolks (or 12 yolks and 4 whites)

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt and blend in the 16 egg yolks.

Knead the dough, gradually adding the lard.

Divide the dough into 7 to 8 equal portions.

Roll out these portions and cut out circles and repeat until all the dough is used up.

Fry in hot lard, using a small stick to twist the centres of the coscorões.

The oil needs to be replaced so that the coscorões do not brown too much.

Dissolve some sugar in a little water and boil to thicken until drops fall off a spoon like pearls. Drizzle over the coscorões. Store in a large earthenware pot.

1 lb 5 oz | 600g flour
12 egg yolks
1 egg white
2 tsp salt

Dissolve the salt in a cup of water.
Put the flour in a bowl and gradually add the egg yolks, egg white and water and salt and knead very thoroughly.
Roll out very thin and cut into squares.
To stop the coscurões from drying out, toss lightly in flour inside a muslin bag.
Fry in oil.
Make a thick syrup with sugar by dissolving sugar in a little water and boiling until the syrup falls in pearl-like drops from a spoon. Dunk the coscurões one by one in this syrup.