And not just any sin, but gluttony, one of the seven deadly sins! But don't be afraid to treat yourself and let the Alentejo leads you astray.

The recipes of many sweets and cakes originally came from the conventss. The variety is huge, and you can find them all over the Alentejo. The desserts are made from egg yolks and almonds, sweetened with sugar or honey, and perhaps sprinkled with cinnamon, but each area has its own specialities.

In Évora, discover the pão basto, pão de rala, toucinho do céu, encharcada (from the Convent of Santa Clara), morgados and queijadas; in Alcácer do Sal, try the pinhoada; and in Beja, be sure to taste the trouxas de ovos, the pastéis de Santa Clara, tosquiados and queijadas de requeijão.

But there are also the bolo de amêndoa of Vidigueira, the tibornas and filhós enroladas of Vila Viçosa, the toucinho rançoso of Monforte, the pão de ló of Montemor, the boleimas of Castelo de Vide, the areias of Sines, the bolos de mel of Monforte, the mimosos of Crato, the cavacas of Avis...

If you are passing through Elvas or Vila Viçosa, don't miss the sericá or sericaia, an authentic Alentejo dessert in which eggs, milk, sugar and cinnamon are blended together in perfect harmony. If you're lucky, this will have been cooked in the traditional way - on a tin plate - and will be accompanied by one or two succulent and juicy Elvas plums.