[Sca-cooks] Search for an Iberian Recipe

[Johnna Holloway]

It's mentioned in Sweet Invention: A History of Dessert
 By Michael Krondl page 54.

Portugal doesn't have a very rich history of culinary books and manuscripts. The earliest printed Portuguese cookbook is from the 1680s. There is this manuscript: LIVRO DE COZINHA [MS I.E.33]             (Late 15th- early 16th century) and in it there is this recipe which is the closest I have found:

Pão-de-ló

Com um quilo de açúcar façam uma calda. Assim que esta espelhar, ajuntem-lhe algumas gotas de água-de-flor e tirem-na do fogo. Pelem um quilo de amêndoas, soquem-nas um pouco, para que fiquem apenas em pedacinhos, e misturem-nas na calda. Mexam tudo durante algum tempo, e a seguir levem o tacho ao fogo brando, mexendo sempre numa só direção. De vez em quando tirem o tacho do fogo, mexendo sempre, para que a massa fique bem alva. Ela estará cozida assim que se desgarrar da vasilha.  Despejem a massa num tabuleiro molhado, ou untado com manteiga, alisando-a bem com uma colher de pau, de modo que não fique muito grossa.  Cortem-na em tabletes, na forma desejada.

Pão-de-ló (modernly refers to sponge cake)

With a kilo of sugar make a syrup.  As soon as it becomes mirror-like (a candying term, I presume), add a few drops of flower water and remove it from the fire.  Peel a kilo of almonds, mash them a bit, so that they are only made into  pieces (as opposed to ground fine?), and mix them into the syrup.  Stir everything during some time, and next take the pot to a low fire, stirring constantly in only one direction.  Once in a while take the pot off the fire, always stirring, so the dough will be very white.  It will be cooked as soon as it comes away from the sides of the pan.  Empty the dough onto a wet platter, or one thast has been greased with butter, speading it with wooden spoon in a manner that it won't be too thick.  Cut it into little pieces, in the desired shapes.

This is from A Treatise of Portuguese Cuisine from the 15th Century [Collection of recipes, some very original, for the preparation of most varied delicassies] This Translation by Baroness Faerisa Gwynarden is based on a translation of 
"Um tratado da cozinha portuguesa do século XV" at the Biblioteca Virtual – Miguel D Cervantes

http://www.sca.org.au/cooks/Pages/articles/articles.html

Just how it made its way from a cooked almond dessert to a flour cake is ???? They might want to loan in and look at 
The History and Culture of Japanese Food



Johnnae
 
On Jun 10, 2012, at 5:06 PM, Elise Fleming wrote:

> Pao de Castela or Bread of Castile