Portalegre Bolo Finto — Hotel School Formula
The Portalegre School of Hospitality and Tourism presented this Easter formula prepared by instructors and students: a large batch of yeasted dough with eggs, sugar, milk, olive oil, aguardente, cinnamon, fennel and lemon. The publication allows up to six hours of rising and 45 minutes of baking but gives no yield, loaf size or exact temperature.
- Yields
- Several loaves; number, weight and size not stated
- Prep
- About 5–6 hr rising alone; remaining preparation time not stated
- Cook
- About 45 min; temperature not stated
Ingredients
- 12 Eggs for the dough
- 750 g / 26.5 oz Sugar
- 2.5 kg / 5.5 lb Wheat flour
- 70 g / 2.5 oz Baker's yeast
- 250 ml / about 1 cup Milk
- 200 ml / 3/4 cup plus 1 tbsp Olive oil
- 50 ml / 3 tbsp plus 1 tsp Aguardente
- 1 tsp Ground cinnamon
- 1/2 dessert spoon; source measure retained Fennel seed
- From 1 lemon Lemon zest
- Quantity not stated Salt
- Quantity not stated Egg for brushing
Method
Beat the twelve eggs with the 750 g sugar. The source gives no duration, equipment or visual endpoint.
Dissolve the 70 g yeast in some of the 250 ml warm milk. Add it to the eggs, followed by the remaining milk, olive oil, aguardente, salt, cinnamon and fennel.
Warm the mixture over low heat. The publication gives no temperature or duration. Remove from the heat and add the flour gradually.
Add the zest of one lemon and knead thoroughly until the dough forms bubbles. The source lists the zest but never specifies when to add it; its placement here is flagged rather than presented as a published step.
Cover with a cloth and leave to rise—‘fintar’—for about four hours.
Shape the loaves and place them on baking parchment about three finger-widths apart. Their number, weight and shape are not stated.
Leave to rise for another one to two hours. Cut a cross into each loaf and brush with egg.
Bake in a ‘moderately heated’ oven for about 45 minutes. The source publishes no temperature, oven position, doneness test or cooling time.
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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