Pour your thirst, the purest, freshly drawn from your wishing well
into a pot, a simple one – a league of moonbeams and a little sun
gently hammered to a smooth roundness that can, nonetheless,
withstand a vivid fire, will do.

Add a pinch of desire, some zest, and a portion – not too big, though
- of the softest, melting core of your heartbeats, and allow these
elements to simmer, slowly, for a while. 

Then – and please take notice of this most important step – sieve
a blend of your hungers, in a rhythmic movement of your bodies, like
a dance, into the bubbling fusion; if he places himself behind her,
his arms following hers all the way down to where fingers entwine,
her hips and his in cadence as both, as one, sift, this operation will
become much more effective, and a pleasure, trust me!

At this point, all of your fervor and coalesced energies will be needed –
as, while you spoon, you must stir and stir the ingredients in the pot,
and on the fire, vigorously.

The dough from which sweet dreams will arise ought to be, at this
point, rather homogeneous – but, should a blob (or two) of doubt
or hesitation have failed to be absorbed, then you must stir and stir again
until such threat of lumps in the dough of dreams dissolves completely.

Allow this foundation – now pliable and smooth – to cool down a bit… not
too much, though, just enough so you won’t scald yourselves… before
you proceed.

At this stage, fold in new beginnings and hopes, yes, both
the bright yolks and cloudy whites, and stir once more, until they are
blended to a warm, golden hue.

And now comes the most crucial moment:
that of actually seeing your sweet dreams come - deliciously - true .

In sensible portions – too greedy, your dreams will make you feel bloated…
too parsimonious, and they will not fulfill you – let your dreams cook
in – again – sensible heat; you see, too much will just char them… and
too mild will turn them into bland, boring things.

Do not worry when you see them plummet – sometimes, to the very bottom
 of the pan – for they will, believe me, rise again.

The next part takes a while, though, and you must be patient – why not
fill the wait with loving caresses? – as your dreams, very slowly, spin
and turn, while, in their own time, they cook.

Oh, bliss, they are ready, at last, pure poetry! - is there a more tempting, a more
scrumptious sight?

All you need to do now is roll them – and with them – in sugar, to which
I would recommend adding a tad of some spice.

So light, and so fluffy, they’ll melt in your mouth; and if – since
they’re dreams – these little round, scented sachets of sweetness
should feel too hollow, too airy within, to your bite… then, it is up
to you and your lover to dare split them open – yes, like lips that part
– and fill them with kisses… according to your taste: in strawberry
jam red of passion, or romantic clouds… of whipped cream!

© 2006 Alexandra* ~ OneLight*®

**********************************

THE ORIGINAL RECIPE:

1 glass of water

2 cups of finely sieved flour
2, 6 ounces of butter
2 pieces of lemon zest
1 small tea spoonful of salt

5 eggs
Sugar, cinnamon, fruit jam or cream – to your liking

PREPARATION:

• Pour the water into a pot, add the butter in pieces, the lemon zest and the salt.


• Allow all the ingredients to simmer until the butter has melted completely.


• Take the pot from the stove, add all the flour, and stir vigorously. The dough should form a “ball” around the spoon (a wooden spoon is what we use here in Portugal) and it should detach easily from the bottom of the pot. Should any dots of flour have failed to be absorbed into the dough, you must stir some more, until the dough looks really homogeneous.


• Take the dough to the stove again, for a moment, to allow it to dry up some more, and then place it in a large bowl, and allow it to cool down for a bit.


• Fold in the eggs, slightly beaten, one by one, using your hands or the mixer, and blend well. The dough will be ready when you lift a portion of it with the spoon and it doesn’t drip.


• In the meantime, you will have heated up some olive oil or other frying fat in a deep pan; with the aid of two table spoons that you will dip in the fat every time, form small “balls” of dough and drop them into the pan.


• These portions will actually “plunge” to the bottom of the pan, and after a couple of minutes, they will come to the surface, where they’ll cook till they turn a nice golden shade.


• They will also turn over themselves several times while they cook; this is what will make the “dreams” light and fluffy inside.


• When they’re cooked, all you need to do is roll them in a blend of sugar and cinnamon – and, if you like, you can fill them with some jam or (in this case, you will need to let them cool down) sweetened whipped cream.


• Enjoy!!!

(As explained in the introduction, “Sweet Dreams” is an ancient, traditional Portuguese dessert; in some parts of the country, it is one among the incredible array of desserts prepared during the Christmas season. Some people prefer to serve these little fluffy cakes “swimming” in a bowl of sugar syrup – prepared with 2 ½ cups of sugar, 1 glass of water, 1 small glass of Port wine, a small piece of orange zest and 1 cinnamon stick – instead of rolling them in the blend of sugar and cinnamon.)