Pa de Pessic de Vic: Recipe of the Delicious Catalan Sponge

🍳 Ingredients

🥚 4 eggs (size L)

🍚 100–125 g of sugar

🍋 Zest of 1 lemon

🌾 25 g of wheat flour

🌽 75 g of cornstarch

🧂 15 g of baking powder

This fluffy, delicious, golden sponge cake with a little sugar sprinkled on top is called pa de pessic de Vic, and it is a delicious Catalan preparation that can be used as a base for many other desserts . The areas where it was most common were mainly Girona, Banyoles and Arbúcies. It is a sponge cake and is a kind of cake made with a very light, spongy and fine dough that is made with eggs, yeast and sugar.

It is often flavoured with orange or lemon zest, but we can also find it with liqueur or cinnamon. It is generally called Genovese, as it is a basic sponge cake that is usually filled with cream or another ingredient. It is spongy and light, which happens precisely because it does not contain any type of fat except that provided by the egg . It is not dry at all, but this is something that will vary depending on the cooking and it can be used as a snack or breakfast , as well as to create new desserts.

It is commonly served with sugar sprinkled on top, however, if we are at a party, it is most likely to have been topped with whipped cream, burnt egg yolk, custard or truffle . Likewise, we can cut it in half and fill the inside with cream or jam . There are several versions of this cake as it can be flavoured with other ingredients such as candied fruit, yoghurt, citrus or nuts.

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History of Vic’s pa de pessic cake

This dessert is incredibly similar to many others around the world, which is why it was included in the recipe books of many famous pastry chefs of the 19th century. This makes us think that it may be directly related to the Savoy cake, a cake that dates back to the 14th century and whose legend says that it was already being made in the Court of Amadeo VI.

Yenne is the name given to this village and today this cake is still considered one of the original recipes of the place. In the 14th century, Savoy was one of the people who gathered the Holy Roman Empire , over which Charles IV held power.

The first accounts of the Savoy cake, belonging to the Bourget family of pastry chefs, were written down and date back to 1782. Their pastry shop was sold, along with the recipe belonging to this family. Debauge, the buyer, kept it until 1998, when no one wanted to continue the business and he sold it again, but this time to his own apprentice. 

Truffet is the one who keeps the cake recipe secret and continues to sell it. The mixture is made by hand and the cake is baked in a wood-burning oven. As for the mondes, they are made of stainless steel and have a wall shape and are made by and for him.

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Step by step preparation

1. We will start by separating the yolks from the egg whites. Next, we will beat the egg whites by hand or with a mixer.
2. Once it starts to foam, it will be time to add half of the sugar in a drizzle.
3. We will beat at low speed and when they have begun to rise, we will increase the speed to high to achieve firm peaks.
4. We beat the 4 yolks together with half of the sugar that we have reserved.
5. It will be around 100 grams of sugar, but we can go up to 125.
6. Now we will beat at high speed and in another place we will mix the cornstarch, the yeast and the wheat flour. To do this, we will use a spoon and then we will set it aside.
7. We will have the yolks ready, so it is time to add the lemon. You can also add orange or vanilla, this is a choice you can make.
8. Next, we will add the flour mixture in 2 or 3 batches, necessarily, and having previously sifted them.
9. Beat it properly and you will only have to add the whipped egg whites. Mix with the help of a spatula and using circular movements.
10. With the oven preheated to a temperature of about 170º C, spray a mold with cooking spray and place baking paper on the bottom in a circle.
11. In our case, the mold is 20 cm.
12. Pour the dough into the mold and tap it several times to remove any air bubbles.
13. Bake below with heat from below and above for approximately 35 minutes.
14. Before removing the cake, we must check that it is cooked properly. If the toothpick comes out clean when you stick it in, it is well cooked. If pieces of dough remain stuck to it, it is not yet ready.
15. We take it out and let it rest for 5 minutes before unmolding it.
16. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

Tips for a perfect Vic pessic pa

• Use room temperature eggs to obtain an airy and fluffy dough.
• Beat the eggs and sugar until they double in size and have a thick, creamy texture.
• Avoid opening the oven during baking to prevent the cake from losing its volume. Wait until the end to check the baking with a toothpick, and let it cool in the tin before removing it from the tin to prevent it from breaking.

Pa de Pessic de Vic: Recipe of the Delicious Catalan Sponge