Pampilhos are a confection from the Central-West region of Santarém, Portugal. They are little known outside of Portugal, though you can find them in Lisbon bakeries specializing in regional treats. A pampilho is a thinly rolled sponge cake filled with egg yolk cream called “Ovos-moles (soft eggs)” in Portuguese. It has a cake-like rather than a pastry texture, and is almost like a rolled crepe. There is little to no information on pampilhos in English, but here is a recipe for pampilhos in Portuguese translated to English, which also including directions to make the Ovos-moles sauce that is so essential to many Portuguese pastries. Of course the best place to get a pampilho is probably Santarém itself, where Pastelaria Bijou is famous for producing the treat.
A Pampilho de Santarém (top) and Travessiro de Sintra from Corte Ingles, Lisbon.
Eating The World 