Madeiran Bolo de Noiva — Arlete Santos's Batch Collected in 2018
Madeira’s Ethnographic Museum publishes this professional 5-kilogram flour batch and its field-recorded process. The list prints “½ of margarine” without a unit, uses undefined measures such as “loose spoon” and “grafada”, and leaves water, lemon, cloves, yield and proving times unquantified. This transcription preserves those limits.
- Yields
- Not stated; batch based on 5 kg / 11 lb flour
- Prep
- Not stated; includes two proves of unstated duration
- Cook
- About 45 minutes, plus 10 minutes in the oven with its door open
Ingredients
- 5 kg / 11 lb; plus unquantified flour for shaping Wheat flour
- 2 kg / 4.4 lb Sugar
- “½”; the inventory omits the unit, plus unquantified margarine for brushing Margarine
- 250 g / 8.8 oz Baker's yeast
- 2 tablespoons; volume not defined Ground fennel
- 2 spoonfuls; capacity not stated Loose cinnamon
- 1 spoonful; capacity not stated Loose curry powder
- ½ spoonful; capacity not stated Ground pepper
- ½ spoonful; capacity not stated Nutmeg
- Used in the method; amount absent from the list Ground cloves
- 1 “grafada”; undefined measure Chopped walnut kernels
- 1 “grafada”; undefined measure Raisins
- No quantity Hot water
- No quantity Lemon zest
- 1 rectangle per loaf; dimensions and total not stated Banana leaves as baking bases
Method
Light and prepare the wood oven. Cut banana leaves into equal rectangles, one for each loaf. The source publishes no dimensions, hygienic leaf preparation, fuel, heating curve or stabilisation time.
In the mixer combine cloves, nutmeg, pepper, curry, fennel, walnuts, raisins, hot water, margarine, sugar, lemon zest, yeast and flour. The inventory supplies no incremental order, water temperature or quantity for several of these elements.
Mix or knead until the dough is “mixed”. The source states no duration, speed, final temperature or target development.
Transfer to an earthenware basin and leave to prove. The maker marks a cross in the dough and says a blessing; the gesture belongs to the cultural record. No time, temperature or target expansion is published.
After proving, turn the dough twice, coat it with flour and cut it into portions. Weigh the portions for uniformity, although the inventory gives neither piece weight nor number of loaves.
Shape each portion by hand into a round, dusting with flour to prevent sticking.
Leave the loaves to prove again on the table. The source publishes no duration, covering, temperature or endpoint.
Remove the embers and sweep out the ash. Place one banana leaf on the peel for each loaf and load it into the oven. This wood-oven operation requires suitable equipment, ventilation and experience.
Bake at about 200°C / 392°F for about 45 minutes. The inventory does not define where or how temperature was measured, loaf size, load or final colour.
Open the oven door to admit cool air and leave the loaves resting inside for about 10 minutes.
Remove the loaves, place them on a table and leave to cool. Melt margarine and brush the surface for gloss. The amount and exact timing are unpublished.
Sources for this recipe
The quantities and method were checked against the references below. Family recipes may vary; where no single official formula exists, we present a representative practical version and say so plainly.
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