PÃO DE LÓ
Sponge cake
A light Portuguese sponge cake. Unlike other cakes and breads, it does not use yeast or baking powder, but relies on beaten egg white to provide suspended air bubbles to produce a light cake.
Pão de Ló from Sedaliza Luiz, courtesy of HA d’Assumpção.
6 eggs, separated
6 tbsp sugar | ¾ cup
1 tsp baking powder (if using self-raising flour, use only ½ tsp of baking powder)
6 tbsp flour | ¾ cup level
Add the baking powder to the flour and sift 3 times.
Beat the egg whites to the peak stage and add the sugar slowly while beating, until firm. Then add the yolks and continue beating.
Let it stand for 5 minutes, then fold in the flour.
Grease a baking dish with butter and line with paper. The paper on the sides should be somewhat higher than the dish because the cake will rise considerably and then fall.
Bake for ½ to ¾ hour at 175°C.