Portuguese Cinnamon Flour Pudding
A warm, spiced trail dessert made from shelf-stable basics.
- calories
- 310
- weight
- 2.5 oz
- cal / oz
- 124
- protein
- 3 g
- serves
- 1, scales
- prep
- 3 min
- cook
- 2 min
- total time
- 5 min
- water
- 150 ml boiled
- cost
- $
Calorie and protein figures are my own estimates, good enough for planning a food bag and not meant as precise nutrition data.
- Dessert
- Breakfast
- Canister stove
- Alcohol / Esbit
- Backpacking
- Car camping
- Winter / snow
- Vegetarian
- One pot
- Pre-mix at home
- Shelf stable
- Dump and stir
Ingredients
| All-purpose flour | 2.5 tbsp | about 30g |
|---|---|---|
| Granulated sugar | 2 tbsp | about 25g |
| Butter powder | 1 tbsp | or make your own at home: 1 tbsp melted butter mixed with 1 tbsp flour |
| Ground cinnamon | 1/4 tsp | |
| Salt | a tiny pinch |
Method
- Mix all dry ingredients at home into a single-serving bag.
- In camp, pour the mix into your mug or pot.
- Boil 150 ml of water.
- Add the water slowly while stirring constantly to prevent lumps.
- Let sit for a minute, stir again, and eat warm.
Portuguese custard tarts can’t be trail-adapted—they need ovens and fresh cream. This extracts what makes them appealing (warm, sweet, spiced comfort) and rebuilds it from shelf-stable pieces. Flour thickens hot water into pudding, butter powder adds richness, cinnamon provides the Portuguese connection. It’s a compromise, not a replica.
Flour in hot water needs constant stirring to avoid lumps. Add the water slowly or the mix will set into clots before the flour fully hydrates. The butter powder is what keeps this from tasting like wallpaper paste—don’t skip it. Butter powder is widely available in grocery stores’ baking sections.
Packing
Pre-mix everything at home into a small snack bag. Stays shelf-stable indefinitely.
Variations
- Add a pinch of nutmeg or cardamom for complexity.
- Use brown sugar instead of white for a deeper flavor.
- Stir in a spoonful of cocoa powder to make chocolate-cinnamon.
https://cooknowwinelater.com/portuguese-dessert-recipes