Pão de Ló

Pão de Ló(plural:pães de ló) is aPortuguesesponge cakemade ofeggs,sugar, andwheat flour. Unlike othercakesorbreads,yeastorbaking powderis generally not used. Rather, to provide volume, air is suspended into the cake batter during mixing.
There are various, and some controversial, theories of where the namepão de lóis derived from. While "pão" is the conventional definition for "bread","ló" is attributed to several theories.One suggests it is derived from theOld-Frenchwordlofmeaning the "downwindside of a ship, where thesailsare rigged" or "thin fabric, likecheesecloth".Another theory is that it is from the term forwool,Portuguese:lã.Author Maria de Lourdes Modesto suggests that its named in honor after of a confectioner's husband whose surname was "Ló", inMagaride, Felgueiras.Another further specifies he was a German man with the last name "Lot".
Luís da Câmara Cascudoa Brazilianlexicographernoted that in history, this sponge cake has been spelled as "pam-de-ló", "pandeló", and "pão-de-lot".In thePortuguese Language Orthographic Agreement of 1990, "pão de ló" was spelled withouthyphensas acknowledged by theTerminology Coordination Unit of the European Parliament(TermCoord),although it continues to be written both as "pão-de-ló" and "pão de ló".
The first record ofpão de ló, written as "pãoo de llo", was indicated in themanuscriptsofInfantaMaria of Portugalin the mid-1500s.Unlike thepão de lóseen today, it was a thick pudding made solely with ground almonds instead ofwheat flour.
In 1693,Domingos Rodrigues, head chef to the Portuguese royal family, would reproduce the same eggless and flourless formula in hisrecipe bookknown asArte de Cozinha(lit.'Art of Cooking').
The version ofpão de lóknown today existed at least by 1773. Thepão de lówas "made of the finest flour, sugar, eggs, andorange-flower-water, well beaten together, and then baked", according to theDictionary of the Portuguese and English Languagesby Anthony Vieyra (edited by J.P. Aillaud) printed in 1813.
It was in 1780, in the bookCozinheiro Moderno, ou Nova Arte de Cozinha(lit.'Modern Cook or the New Art of Cooking') by Lucas Rigaud, chef toMaria I of Portugal, thatpão de lóis defined also asbolo de Saboia(lit.'Savoy cake').This same recipe reappears in the 1836 edition ofArte de Cozinhaby Domingos Rodrigues.Arte de Cozinha(ed. 1836) had also indicated other derivatives such aspão de ló fofo(lit.'fluffy bread'),pão de ló torrado(lit.'toasted bread'),pão de ló de amêndoas(lit.'almond bread'), andpão de ló de pistache(lit.'pistacio bread').
Another similar cake related topão de lófrom theIberian Peninsulais the Spanishbizcocho.Bizcocho(English:biscuit) is a baked confectionery whose etymology comes from "to bake twice".TheThesaurus of Castilian or Spanish Languagepublished in 1611 stated that there was also "delicious dish made with flour, eggs and sugar".
It took root in Portugal asbolo de Castela(lit.'cake ofCastile').InArte de Cozihna, it appears asbiscoytos de la Reyna(lit.'biscuits of thequeen').It was likely referring to theCastilianCatherine of Austria, Queen of Portugal, who brought this confectionery to Portugal. An actual loaf from Castile that continues to exist today isPan Candeal. It is believed that theMarranos, Portuguesecrypto-Jews(Sephardic), enriched this bread with eggs to createpan d'Espana.One popular story recounts anItalianpastry chefnamed Giovan Battista Cabona who accompanied the ambassador ofGenoaon a trip to Spain during theRenaissance period.He presented this cake to theKing of Spainand named itpan di Spagna(lit.'Spanish bread').
As the name suggest, it can be derived from theFrenchPain de lof,a similar kind of bread already existing inMiddle Ages.A similar product is theGâteau de Savoie, a traditional baked sponge cake fromSavoie.In the Portuguese cookbookArte do Cosinheiro e do Copeiro,similarities betweenpão de lóandGâteau de Savoie(bolo de Saboiain the text) were already noticed.
Monasticcooking was well established throughout Europe by the late Middle Ages which had expertise inviticulture,cheese making, andconfectionery.It was here that the nuns kept alive the Moorish confections.Pão de Lówas one of theconventual sweetsproduced throughout Portugal by thenunsliving in theconvents. It is characteristic of many other of the conventual sweets containing a considerable amount ofegg yolksand sugar,and very littlewheat flour.There are several of these sweets containing these ingredients in varying amounts or cooking methods. There are also a few traditional confectionaries that resemblepão de lósuch ascavacas do Marcoandfatias de Freixo.A few others that are similar to the driedbiscuitsuch ascaladinhosandmelindres.Cakes were associated with religious feast days, such as Easter and Christmas. Some cakes were formed in the shape of the crown of Jesus.After theDissolution of the monasteries in Portugalin 1834, some of the recipes made its way to thelaity.
Historically, some varieties ofpão de lórequired beating eggs manually for more than an hour in order to obtain the desired "leavened" consistency, and typically this job was often reserved to women before the mid 1900s. Mothers passed the recipes to their daughters before marriage and sold their breads and other baked goods out of their homes.
As such, these cakes were expensive and reserved for festive occasions, such as Easter and birthdays, sometimes filled withcustard,fruit preserve, orfios de ovos. The rich, who were able to consume it year-round, was especially favored by those who lost their teeth and were unable to chew regular bread. It was sometimes browned in an oven, recalling its "twice baked" derivative.
It was traditionally offered wrapped in black satin to the sick and to families in mourning. It was also offered to those about to face execution.
Pão de Lóbecame the precursor topão doceand otherPortuguese sweet breads. The tedious labor of mixing by hand for more than an hour that often coincided with makingpão de lówould be achieved by the use ofyeastinstead.
Sevenpão de lóvarieties were classified as traditional products by theDirectorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development(DGARD), a Portuguese government agency under theMinistry of Agriculturethat collaborates with thePortuguese Federation of Gastronomic Confraternities(FPCG). The FPCG provides information for the inventory of traditional Portuguese recipes and products found throughout the country.
The origins of this artisanalNorth Regionsponge cake began in the late 18th century. It was first recorded in the bookIrmandade dos Passosin 1781, describing it as a cake gifted to clergy who carried the statues used inprocessionduringSemana Santa.
It is made with a substantial amount ofegg yolksand sugar that are beaten for an extended time, for more than an hour by hand, with a small ratio offlouradded. The cake is typically baked in aterracottavessel lined withalmaçopapermolds.The very moist interior is characteristic oflóknown aspito.
In 2016,pão de lótraditionally made in its peculiar method within the municipality ofOvarwas awarded theProtected Geographical Indication.
InVagosof theCentral Region,pão de lóis a sponge cake generally made with whole eggs, flour, sugar, salt andorange(orlemonzest). The egg whites and yolks are sometimes separated and beaten individually before combining.Baking powderis sometimes added, depending on the quality of the flour being used. This ring-shaped cake is not commercially made.
In theNorth Region, PortugalbetweenDouroand theTâmegariver,pão-de-lóis made with primarily with whole eggs, sugar, and flour. The batter is mixed by hand for more than 10 minutes, then poured into paper-lined clay vessels that are preheated. The ring-shaped cake is baked in a wood-fired oven.
This sponge cake is believed to have originated from theMosteiro de Santa Maria de CósinAlcobaça. The recipe was smuggled out of the monastery by João Matos Vieira, a priest, due to theRevolution of 1910and brought to thefreguesiaofAlfeizerão.
The cake is mainly made with egg yolks, sugar, and flour, andaguardente. The batter is whisked for a prolonged time then poured into greased copper pots. When the cake is finished baking, it is shaped while it cools.
An "undercooked"pão de lówas inadvertently served to KingCarlos I of Portugal. However, the king was impressed by the mishap and the recipe persisted.
Named after thefreguesiaof Margaride inFelgueiras, this cake was first created by a confectioner named Clara Maria. After her death in 1831, her husband's second wife, Leonor Rosa da Silva, continued making the cake.
The ring-shaped cake contains both whole eggs and additional egg yolks, sugar, and flour. The cake is baked in a paper-lined clay mold. It is sometimes eaten withqueijo da Serraorport wine.
In 1888, the cake was awarded aroyal warrantby theDuke of Braganza, and in 1893 by KingCarlos I of Portugalwhich it continues to display in present times.
First created in the 1960s by Maria Alice Sequeira inLisbon, this cake contains whole eggs and egg yolks, sugar, and flour. It is typically baked in aspringform pan.
The recipe is attributed to Joaquina Ferreira in the late 1800s. Typically shaped into a rectangular loaf lined with paper, this cake fromVizelais made with eggs, mainly egg yolks, sugar and flour. After baking, it is brushed with a thick layer of sugar syrup.
The name of this cake is derived from thelinhol(lit.'linen') cloths that wrapped it when it was first sold. The first known reference to this cake was in 1884, at an exhibition inGuimarães.
In the municipality ofAlpiarça, a very moist cake is made with a substantial amount of egg yolks and some whole eggs, sugar, and a smaller amount of flour.
Believed to have been created by the nuns of theMosteiro de Aroucawhich closed in 1886, this cake recipe survives through a bakery established in 1840 by Teixeira Pinto. Thepound cake-like is baked as a rectangular loaf with whole eggs, sugar, and flour. Once it is cooled after baking, it is infused with a sugar syrup which also leaves a sugar crust.
This is a smaller cake that can be made at home. Whole eggs are used, but the whites and yolks are processed separately. The yolks (with sugar added) and egg whites are beaten until stiff, then combined along with flour. The batter is poured into a greasedcake tube panto bake.Baking powderis sometimes used as leaven.Cornstarchis also used as a modern,gluten freealternative.
Baked in a pan similar tobundt cakeoriginating from Monastery of Saint Claire inFigueiró dos Vinhos, this cake is now made exclusively by the Santa Luzia Confectionery with the original recipe and molds dating from the late 1800s given by one of the nuns from the convent.
ThisNorth Regioncake is believed to have been created in the early 1900s, in Fornelos,Fafeby the Freitas family. It contains eggs, sugar, and flour.
The Portuguese introducedpão de lótoBrazilin the early 1500s. In the bookVida e Morte do Bandeiranteby authorAntônio de Alcântara Machado, an inventory from the mid-1600s indicates two copper basins were listed to prepare it.It was a favorite ofFrei Caneca, a BrazilianCarmelitefriar, politician andrevolutionary, one of the leaders of thePernambucan Revolt of 1817.
Luís da Câmara Cascudodedicates an entry to sponge cake in theDictionary of Brazilian Folkloreunderscoring the importance in the culinary tradition in Brazil.
The Portuguese would be the first European country to reach Japan in 1543. Before their expulsion from Japan in 1639, the Portuguese introducedbolo de Castelato the Japanese which would be known simply ascastella(カステラ,kasutēra).
One popular belief is said that the name was derived from the Spanish,Kingdom of Castile. However, thehomonymousterm is believed to be fromPortuguese:castile,lit.'castle', describing the egg whites beaten until stiff akin to castle towers.
While the Spanish did arrive a few years after the Portuguese in 1549, Portuguese influence was greater than that of the Spanish especially inNagasaki.Established in 1624,Castella Honke FukusayainNagasakiis the oldest existing castella maker in Japan.