Évora Almond Cake

Pão de Rala from Évora is one of the Alentejo's most distinguished and iconic convent sweets. Created at the Convent of Santa Clara in Évora, this dense, golden cake is made with ground almonds, egg yolks and sugar — simple ingredients that come together to create a dessert with a deep flavour and unique texture.

Unlike Toucinho do Céu, Pão de Rala has a drier, more crumbly texture, almost like a dense biscuit, and an intensely almond flavour. It is a sweet treat eaten in small portions and pairs perfectly with coffee or a fortified wine.

Yield: serves 8 to 10
Preparation: 20 minutes
Cooking: 35 minutes
Total time: about 55 minutes

Ingredients for Pão de Rala from Évora

• 250 g blanched, ground almonds
• 250 g sugar
• 6 egg yolks
• 1 whole egg
• 100 ml water
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Icing sugar as needed (for dusting)
• Butter as needed (for greasing)
• Flour as needed (for dusting the tin)

How to make Pão de Rala from Évora

1. Prepare the syrup. Put the sugar and water in a pan and bring to the boil until it reaches the thread stage (105 °C). Remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly.
2. Mix in the almonds. Add the ground almonds and lemon zest to the syrup and mix well. Return to a low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan (about 5 minutes). Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
3. Add the eggs. Beat the egg yolks with the whole egg and add to the slightly warm almond mixture, stirring quickly until fully combined.
4. Bake. Grease a round cake tin (20 cm) with butter and dust with flour. Pour in the mixture and bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C for 30 to 35 minutes, until the surface is golden.
5. Turn out and serve. Leave to cool completely before turning out. Dust generously with icing sugar before serving.

The secret to perfect Pão de Rala

The almonds should be finely ground for a more even texture. Cooking the mixture after adding the almonds is essential — it dries it out slightly and intensifies the flavour. Don't skip this step. The cake should be dry and crumbly inside — that's its traditional characteristic.

Wine to accompany Pão de Rala

We recommend Vidigueira DOC White Liqueur Wine, served chilled between 10 and 12 °C. Its notes of dried fruit, honey and vanilla complement the richness of the almonds, creating a classic and memorable pairing.

Serving suggestion

Serve Pão de Rala with our Extra Fig and Walnut Jam — the sweet intensity of the figs and the crunchy texture of the walnuts perfectly complement the richness of the almonds, creating a typically Alentejo combination.

Storage

Pão de Rala keeps very well — for up to 1 week at room temperature in a sealed container, or up to 2 weeks in the fridge. Its flavour intensifies the day after it is made.

Indicative nutritional information

Per serving (1/10 of the recipe): Energy 280 kcal | Protein 7 g | Fat 14 g | Carbohydrates 34 g | Fibre 2 g | Salt 0.05 g

The values shown are estimates and may vary depending on the ingredients used.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between Pão de Rala and Toucinho do Céu?

Both are Alentejo conventual sweets made with almonds and egg yolks, but Pão de Rala has a drier, grainier texture, contains no lard, and has a more intense almond flavour. Toucinho do Céu is moister and richer thanks to the pork lard.

Can I use almonds with the skin on?

It is not recommended. Blanched almonds give a finer texture and milder flavour. To blanch them easily, immerse in boiling water for 1 minute and remove the skins while they are still hot.

Can the cake be made without lemon?

Yes, but the lemon zest adds freshness and balances the sweet intensity of the almonds. We recommend keeping it in.

Bring this Alentejo tradition to your table

Pair it with Herdade do Estacal's Vidigueira DOC White Liqueur Wine and serve with Extra Fig and Walnut Jam.

Also discover our Évora Toucinho do Céu, another must-try Alentejo conventual sweet.

A traditional Alentejo recipe, adapted by Herdade do Estacal for the “À Mesa com o Alentejo” blog, preserving the original methods and ingredients in their entirety.