At the table
Use a spoon to scoop through both cream and biscuit layers.
Contains dairy. Check the biscuit ingredients for allergens such as wheat; some versions also have an egg-yolk topping.
The base uses cream, condensed milk, Marie biscuits and vanilla. An optional sweet topping uses egg yolks, milk and sugar; ask which version is served.
The soft, spoonable texture and absence of chili can suit children who tolerate the ingredients. Offer small spoonfuls and check the biscuits and optional egg topping first.
Recipes vary. Ask the restaurant about ingredients and serving before you order.
GET TO KNOW THE DISH
What goes into it?
Explore some key ingredients below. Preparations may use additional seasonings and ingredients.
A sweet egg-yolk topping is an option alongside the cream-and-biscuit base.
Typical ingredients
In some versions
Recipes vary by restaurant.
How does it taste?
Sweet milk and vanilla.
- Chili heat
- Texture
- Soft cream with fine crumbs.
- How it’s made
- Whip, layer and chill.
A sweet egg-yolk topping is an option alongside the cream-and-biscuit base.
A CONNECTION TO PLACE
Origin & regional roots
Associated with Macau.
Ask if they have it first
请问你们有木糠布甸吗？
Do you have this item?
A LITTLE SOMETHING TO READ
Story & history
The dessert named after sawdust
This account describes a tradition or story, rather than an established historical fact.
Serradura means sawdust in Portuguese: the name describes the fine biscuit crumbs, not an ingredient made from wood. In Macao, the dessert pairs these crumbs with whipped cream sweetened with condensed milk. The layers soften together as they chill. Some versions add a sweet egg-yolk topping, while the cream-and-biscuit version is complete without it.