Along with Torta Genovese (see an earlier Recipe) Pan di Spagna is one of the very basic, plain sponge cakes that are made in Italian patisserie to form the basis of a zuccotto or a tiramisu, or a myriad of other puddings. It can be eaten with jam and cream, or by itself, with a light sprinkling of icing sugar and lemon zest. It is called the “bread of Spain” because much of Italy was ruled by the Bourbons from the 16th to the 18th Centuries and so the Spanish left their culinary imprint in much of provincial Italian cookery. The key trick in making a good Pan di Spagna is to beat the egg yolks and the caster sugar until they are light and creamy, right up to the ribbon stage, which may take up to 20 minutes. The egg whites need to be beaten till they form soft peaks.
Ingredients to make a 25cm. cake
5 large organic, free range eggs from corn fed chickens, separated
150g. Billingtons raw cane sugar
The seeds from 1 vanilla pod or 1 tsp. of vanilla bean paste
zest from 2 unwaxed lemons
125g. plain flour
Icing sugar for dusting.
Method
1. Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius, and butter and line a 25 cm. springform cake tin.
2. Beat the egg yolks with the sugar in a roomy bowl, using an electric stand alone mixer, until they are really light and fluffy and have trebled in size. This may take up to 20 minutes.
3. Add the grated zest from just one lemon and the vanilla seeds, and mix.
4. In a separate bowl whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Using a large metal spoon fold the egg whites into the egg yolk mix.
5. Sieve the flour into the mix, folding it in gently until completely amalgamated.
6. Pour the cake mix into the cake tin and bake in the oven for 25 minutes. The cake should be springy to the touch when ready and a lovely golden brown colour on the top. Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn onto a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with icing sugar and the extra lemon zest, then serve.
Further reading:
Did you enjoy this article?
If you would like to subscribe to my mailing list just add your name and email address to the boxes below.
