Bica Blanca de Laza, sponge cake of egg whites and cream for carnivals

The Bica Blanca is possibly the most traditional sweet of Laza, a beautiful town in Ourense. In this town you can still breathe Galician atmosphere in abundance. It is in its streets where the traditional Entroido de Laza, the town’s carnival, is celebrated. It is during these popular celebrations when some of the inhabitants dress up as peliqueiros. Grotesque characters that scare the neighbors with characteristic costumes, cowbells at the waist, a mask that covers their face and in their hand a whip.

Peliqueiros in Laza during the celebration of the carnival. | Wikimedia

During the celebration of these traditional carnivals, declared of tourist interest by the Xunta de Galicia, the bica plays a fundamental role. It is the perfect way to bring the whole family together at the table and celebrate cultural tradition and gastronomy, two inseparable elements. A perfect occasion to feel the Galician carnivals from home.

Bica blanca de laza, a spongy and buttery sweet that melts in your mouth. | flickr

Ingredients for the Bica Blanca de Laza:

• 350 g of wheat flour
• 350 g of sugar
• 8 large egg whites
• 350 g whipping of cream

How to make the Bica Blanca de Laza:

1. The preparation of the bica blanca de Laza is very simple. To make it, put the egg whites in a large bowl and add 240 g of the total sugar. The rest of the sugar will be used to whip the cream and to decorate the cake. Whip the egg whites until they become a very firm meringue. Add the sifted flour together with the egg whites and stir carefully to integrate it.
2. Add the cream in another bowl along with 80 g of the 350 listed. Whip it until it is stiff but not too stiff.
3. Add the whipped cream to the meringue and flour mixture with gentle encircling motions until the mixture is smooth and homogeneous. Care must be taken to prevent the dough from becoming too caked after baking.
4. Once the dough is ready, pour it into a 23×23 cm square tray lined with baking paper to prevent the cake from sticking. Finally, sprinkle the cake with the remaining 30 g of sugar and bake at 180ºC for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and let it cool. This cake melts in your mouth, ideal to accompany it with tea!