Doce da casa (Restaurant's special dessert)

As I was doing the tiramisu a few days earlier, I remembered this recipe as the layout and the dipping the biscuits in coffee is similar. I wonder if it is a tiramisu copycat, Portuguese way.

I am not quite sure how to translate the name of this recipe so I made it a literal translation. It is a very common recipe in low to mid range restaurants in Portugal and very popular with the Portuguese. 

This is one of those recipes that may have the same name across the country but each restaurant's chef makes it slightly different. It is almost impossible to get the same desert from one restaurant to the next. However, they all have eggs, condensed milk, Maria biscuits and double cream. I have made the recipe that more accurately matches my childhood memories, look and taste

Serves: 8 persons.

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs, separated
• 1 can condensed milk (397g)
• 1 can of milk (use the condensed milk's can to measure the milk)
• 1tbsp corn flour
• 150g coffee
• 200g Maria biscuits - 32 biscuits
• 150ml double cream
• 4tbsp caster sugar

Equipment: 8 dessert glass bowls.

Method:

1. Whisk the egg yolks with the condensed milk and the corn flour in a pan.
   
2. Whisk in the milk.
   
3. Cook in a gentle heat until thickened.
   
   
   
   
4. Divide the mixture evenly between the 8 dessert glass bowls.
   
5. Reserve 8 biscuits. 
   
6. Dip the remaining biscuits in the coffee until the outside of the biscuit is soft but still hard inside. Place 3 biscuits per bowl on top of the mixture.
   
   
   
   
7. Whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks. Add 2tbsp of sugar and whisk a bit further just to combine.
8. Whip the double cream and half way through add 2tbsp sugar. If you overwhip your cream like me, either add a bit more cream and whip gently or, in this case, as I was going to add the egg whites to the cream, I added a bit of the egg whites and gently whisked until the cream was in the consistency it should be.
   
   
   
   
9. Fold gently the egg whites in the double cream.
   
10. Divide the mixture evenly  between the bowls.
    
11. Crush the reserved 8 biscuits and add the powder to the top, evenly divided between the bowls.
    
    
    
    
12. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4-6h before serving cold.