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Bolo de pote (cake in a jar)
Bolo de pote: soft sponge layered in jars with chocolate brigadeiro cream and milk-powder cream
On Sundays, when Avenida Paulista closes to cars, sellers line the pavement with cool boxes of bolo de pote, and the same jars turn up at São Paulo's weekly street fairs and outside metro stations: soft sponge cake layered with creamy fillings and eaten with a spoon. Brigadeiro cream (condensed milk cooked with cocoa) and a sweet, milky cream made with milk powder are the two everyone wants. They are rich and very sweet, so the jars are small. They contain egg, wheat and milk. Chef's tip: take both creams off the heat while they are still a little runny; they thicken as they cool and must stay soft enough to spread.
- Total time
- 90 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
For the sponge
- 4 eggs
- 5 ½ oz caster sugar
- 5 ½ oz plain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ cup whole milkwarm
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
For the brigadeiro cream
- 14 oz sweetened condensed milk1 tin
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- ½ oz butter
- ¾ cup double cream
For the milk cream
- 14 oz sweetened condensed milk1 tin
- 2 ⅛ oz whole milk powder
To assemble
- ¾ cup whole milkcold
- 2 tbsp chocolate sprinkles (optional)
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Method
0/9 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan) and line a 20 × 30 cm tin with baking paper.
5 minStep 2: Whisk 4 eggs and 5 ½ oz caster sugar with an electric whisk for 6–8 minutes, until pale, thick and leaving a trail when the beaters are lifted.
8 minStep 3: Sift in 5 ½ oz plain flour and 1 tsp baking powder and fold gently, then fold in ½ cup whole milk and ¼ cup vegetable oil until no streaks remain.
3 minStep 4: Bake for 22–25 minutes, until golden, springy when pressed and a skewer comes out clean. Cool completely.
25 minStep 5: Brigadeiro cream: stir 14 oz sweetened condensed milk, 2 tbsp cocoa powder and ½ oz butter in a pan over a low heat for 8–10 minutes, until thick and you can briefly see the base of the pan when you drag a spatula through. Off the heat, whisk in ½ cup double cream.
10 minStep 6: Milk cream: stir 14 oz sweetened condensed milk and 2 ⅛ oz whole milk powder over a low heat for 6–8 minutes, until smooth and thickened, then whisk in the rest of ¾ cup double cream. Common mistake: cooking either cream as long as brigadeiro sweets; it sets too firm to layer. Cool both creams.
8 minStep 7: Cut the sponge into pieces that fit 8 jars of about 250 ml. Put a layer of sponge in each, spoon over a little ¾ cup whole milk, then a layer of brigadeiro cream.
10 minStep 8: Add another layer of sponge and milk, then the milk cream. Finish with 2 tbsp chocolate sprinkles if you like.
5 minStep 9: Close the jars and chill for at least 1 hour. They keep for 3 days in the fridge.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 560 kcal
- Protein
- 12 g
- Carbs
- 80 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does bolo de pote (cake in a jar) take?
- About 90 minutes in total: 45 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of eggs?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
- What can I use instead of caster sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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