Ingredients
Sponge
- 10egg yolks
- 4whole eggs
- 250 gcaster sugar
- 120 gplain flour, sifted twice
- a pinch of salt
Optional
- grated zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tbspport or brandy
Equipment
- a deep round tin or clay mould
- baking paper, cut into a wide collar
To serve
- on its own, with coffee
Directions
- Use very fresh eggs from a source you trust, keep it refrigerated, and do not serve it to pregnant women, very young children, the elderly or anyone immunocompromised. Use eggs at room temperature, which whip to far greater volume than cold ones. Beat the yolks, whole eggs and sugar together for a full 12 to 15 minutes.
- Beat it far longer than feels necessary. It is ready when the mixture is very pale, thick, and falls from the whisk in a ribbon that sits on the surface for several seconds.
- Add the zest and port if using. Sift the flour twice and fold it in gently, in three additions, with a large spatula. Fold, do not stir, and stop the moment the flour disappears. Every extra stroke knocks out the air you spent a quarter of an hour building.
- Line the tin with a wide collar of baking paper standing well above the rim, crumpled and pressed in. That tall crumpled paper collar is traditional and it is functional: it supports the rising batter and holds the soft centre when you turn it out.
- Pour the batter in gently from a low height. Bake at 180°C (355°F) for 30 to 35 minutes. Now the judgement, which is the whole recipe: the top should be well domed and golden and the centre should still wobble noticeably when you shake the tin.
- Take it out and let it settle. Serve it in its paper, spooned out at the table rather than sliced.
- Serve it warm or at room temperature, and keep it in the fridge once cool. It came out of Portuguese convent baking, which produced a whole family of egg-yolk sweets because the whites were used for starching habits and clarifying wine.
Technique
- The Margaride style is baked through and is a dry, tall, airy sponge.
- The clay mould, forma de barro, is traditional in Ovar and holds heat gently.
- It keeps three days refrigerated and is best brought back to room temperature.
Substitutions
- Bake it a further 10 to 15 minutes for a fully set sponge, which avoids the raw egg question entirely.
- Any deep round tin with a paper collar.
Variations
- The dry Margaride style, baked through.
- Pão de ló de Ovar, the classic runny one.
- With lemon or orange zest.
History
Convent baking of Ovar, Alfeizerão and Margaride; the famously runny styles are protected local traditions.
Frequently asked questions
What is Pao de lo?
Pao de lo is a dessert from Portugal: airy egg sponge, often deliberately underbaked so the centre stays molten. Convent baking of Ovar, Alfeizerão and Margaride; the famously runny styles are protected local traditions.
How long does Pao de lo take to make?
Pao de lo takes 20 min of preparation and 35 min of cooking. The recipe makes 8 servings. It is rated medium to make.
What can I substitute in Pao de lo?
Yes, within limits. Bake it a further 10 to 15 minutes for a fully set sponge, which avoids the raw egg question entirely. Any deep round tin with a paper collar.
What is the most important thing to get right in Pao de lo?
Use very fresh eggs from a source you trust, keep it refrigerated, and do not serve it to pregnant women, very young children, the elderly or anyone immunocompromised. Use eggs at room temperature, which whip to far greater volume than cold ones. Beat the yolks, whole eggs and sugar together for a full 12 to 15 minutes.