Bolo do Caco is a traditional local bread from the beautiful island of Madeira. It is a delicious stovetop pan-baked flatbread often served warm with garlic butter as an appetiser. It’s surprisingly easy to make and the result is well worth it.
What is Bolo do Caco?
Bolo do Caco is a traditional yeasted flatbread that comes from the Island of Madeira. This delicious bread is made with flour and sweet potato and is cooked in a pan on the stove.
What does Bolo do Caco mean?
Madeira is an island territory of Portugal and Bolo is a Portuguese word that means cake. It is a word that is used to describe any type of cake. For example, Bolo de Miel is a rich fruit cake the equivalent of our Christmas Cake. The Caco is the traditional hot stone that was used to cook this bread. This has largely been replaced by baking the bread in a pan.
Where is Madeira?
The Madeira Archipelago is in the Atlantic Ocean west of the African coast and is an autonomous region of Portugal which is a long way north! Madeira is a volcanic island with a fantastic climate that never gets too warm or too cold. And it has a fascinating history and culture that is well worth exploring.
What ingredients do I need to make Bolo do Caco?
Most of the ingredients are things you will probably have in your larder. The only unusual ingredient is sweet potatoes and those are easy to obtain in markets or supermarkets.
- flour
- yeast
- sweet potatoes
- salt
- freshly ground pepper
- warm water
What kind of flour do I need?
Although this is a bread recipe you need plain (all purpose) flour rather than strong bread flour.
What kind of yeast should I use?
I use Fast Action (Instant) Yeast. This kind of yeast does not need to be activated with warm water before use. Add it straight into the flour just keep it away from the salt as salt can prevent yeast from working.
Does all Bolo do Caco contain Sweet Potato?
I have done some research and sweet potato is often one of the ingredients in Bolo do Caco. The sweet potato traditionally used in Madeira is white but I could only get the orange sweet potato. The only difference is that my bread is a little different but the taste is pretty much the same.
Apparently, not all Bolo do Caco contains sweet potato. However, all the recipes I found in my research use sweet potato, which is why I have included it in the ingredients.
Is Bolo do Caco a sourdough bread?
Some recipes suggest using a sourdough starter, this recipe uses fast-action yeast to make it more accessible to all.
How do you bake the bread?
Bake Bolo do Caco in a frying pan. The pan used in Madeira is a small high-sided frying pan, however, I only had a standard frying pan and it worked very well.
How difficult is it to make this bread?
This bread is surprisingly easy to make. The dough rises quickly and bakes really well and evenly in the pan. It has a lovely even crumb and is firm on the outside where it’s been in contact with the pan but is very tender on the inside. Wrap the bread in a clean tea towel as it comes out of the pan to keep it soft.
What does Bolo do Caco taste like?
It tastes like a slightly sweet flatbread. I like to think of it as a cross between a Scottish tattie (potato) scone and a giant English Muffin. The texture of the bread is slightly chewy on the outside but soft and light inside.
Can I use a bread machine or a stand mixer to make the dough?
You can make the dough by hand using the recipe below. You can use the dough setting on your bread machine but then remove it and bake in a pan on the stovetop. Or you can use your stand mixer and a dough hook to knead the dough for around 5 minutes before continuing to follow the recipe.
Do I have to let the bread rise twice?
Yes, if you want to have a soft light texture of this bread then you really do need to let the dough rise twice.
Can I make the bread ahead of time?
Bolo do Caco is best eaten on the day that you make it but you can wrap it in a clean tea towel and then place it in an airtight container or seal it in a plastic bag and serve the following day. You can refresh the flatbread in a low oven, microwave, or toaster.
Can I freeze Bola do Caco?
The bread freezes well. Once it is completely cold, freeze it in an airtight container or sealed plastic bag for up to 3 months. Thaw on a cooling tray covered with a clean tea towel and refresh in a low oven, microwave, or toaster.
Vegetarian
Bola do Caco is suitable for a vegetarian diet as it contains no animal products.
Gluten Free
The flatbread contains wheat flour and therefore not suitable for a GF diet. I do not know of a GF recipe for Bola do Caco but you can try this soft flatbread recipe from Gluten Free Alchemist.
For more information regarding any dietary information provided on this website, please refer to my Nutritional Disclaimer.
How should I serve Bolo do Caco?
On my visits to the Island of Madeira Bolo do Caco is often on the menu in many restaurants. It is traditional to serve the flatbread warm at the table spread thickly in parsley or garlic butter and cut into wedges. Some restaurants also serve a side plate of local soft cheeses and olives.
You can also serve Bolo do Caco as a sandwich as they do at street stalls and cafes in Madeira. The stall holders make the bread on-site and fill it with different ingredients. The Bolo do Caco is filled like a sandwich and we also found these long versions of the bread stuffed with chorizo and cheese, they were so delicious.
The bread makes a delicious bacon butty (sandwich) and I think it would be good served toasted panini-style too.
PIN FOR LATER
More Bread Recipes
- Sourdough Bread (Bread Machine)
- Wild Garlic Tear and Share Bread
- Sesame Bagels -Feast Glorious Feast
- Malawach Fried Flatbread – Family Friends Food
Bolo do Caco
Ingredients
- 500 grams (3 cups) plain flour not strong bread flour
- 7 grams (2¼ tsp) sachet Fast Action Yeast
- 200 grams (1½ cups) sweet potatoes (about 2)
- 1/2 teaspoon (½ teaspoon) salt
- 1/2 teaspoon (½ teaspoon) freshly ground pepper
- 350 millilitres (1½ cups) warm water
Instructions
- 200 grams sweet potatoesBake the sweet potatoes, either in the oven for about 30-40 minutes or in the microwave for 8-10 minutes (timings depend on size of sweet potatoes). Once cooked until soft, scoop out the flesh and mash until smooth.
- 500 grams plain flour, 7 grams sachet Fast Action Yeast, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, 350 millilitres warm waterCombine the sweet potatoes with the other ingredients and enough warm water to make a very soft, wet dough. Using one hand, bring all the ingredients together and mix thoroughly for 5-10 minutes or until dough becomes elastic.
- Cover dough loosely with cling film and leave in a warm place for 30 minutes.
- Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions. Oil your hands, so they don’t stick to the dough, shape into flattened rounds and set aside to prove for another 30 minutes, covered with a damp towel.
- Melt a little butter in a small, high sided pan (or whatever kind of pan you have) and cook each round over a low heat for 8-10 minutes on each side until browned and cooked through.
- Repeat process with remaining bread, keeping the cooked Bola soft by covering with a clean tea towel on a cooling rack.
Donna B says
I had a feeling Maderian recipes would feature Janice! Sounds scrummy while being easy to make ?
Janice Pattie says
More coming soon!
Karen S Booth says
What an interesting recipe Janice, and I must say it is very similar to Toutons in a way! Karen
Janice Pattie says
I cannot read that word without laughing, Karen. I must go back and check out the recipe from Faerie Land 😉
belleau kitchen says
oh god I love different local breads, this looks sensational. You can get white sweet potatoes and sweet potato flour too. Anyway, this look amazing!
Janice Pattie says
Thanks Dom, I did think you must be able to get white sweet potatoes, but I've never seen them.
Sylvia F. says
Never heard of this kind of bread but it looks fantastic! x
Janice Pattie says
Neither had I Sylvia, love finding new things.
Jen Price says
The best part about going on holiday is trying new foods, even better when you find something that is easy to recreate at home. I need to get some sweet potatoes in and try this. Thanks for joining in with Bready, Steady Go! 🙂
Janice Pattie says
I agree Jen, I love to try new food. Thanks for the push to actually make this bread, as I suspect I might have let it pass me by after my initial enthusiasm!
fiona maclean says
Looks fab! A lot of the fruit and veg in madeira is unique for regulatory reasons – those tiny bananas you may have found are not allowed to be sold anywhere else as bananas!
Janice Pattie says
Ah yes, I have many photos of bananas growing on the terraces. We also got nabbed in the Farmers Market and tried a whole lot of different types of fruit, then the guy tried to sell us one of each. I managed to get away with only four fruits!
Anita-Clare Field says
This looks fabulous Janice. We've got all the ingredients so there's no stopping us.
Anne Szadorska says
Ah your holiday looks lovely, am so jealous I need sun! The bread looks lovely and I love easy pan breads like this! I love sweet potato too so definitely snagging this!
Camilla Hawkins says
Ooh this sounds really tasty bread with the addition of sweet potatoes – my daughter would love this too as we are big fans of the sweet potato:-)
Bintu Hardy says
I like the addition of sweet potato. Yes please.
tinkertink2010 says
Yummy! Another way to use my favourite sweet potato!
Choclette says
How did I miss this post? That bread looks amazing and I want to try it. If memory serves correctly (and it may not) white sweet potatoes are not nearly as sweet as the orange ones. My mother bring me back a bola de something or other whenever she visits my aunt in Portugal – it’s the best cinnamon roll I’ve ever had.
Janice Pattie says
Madeira is a Portuguese island so must be similar thing. The taste was similar so the white sweet potatoes couldn’t be too much sweeter. It was pretty easy to make, well worth a try.
Jen says
Bolo do Caco is the correct spelling. I tried this recipe it was very good.
Janice Pattie says
Thank you Jen ?
João Rocha says
You don’t even say it right it’s ( Bolo do caco ) , I’m from Madeira and that recipe it’s not the same , you 1st don’t have to put any off sweet potato on the mixture and 2 the special ingredient it’s fresh parsley on the butter , that’s what make bolo do caco a specialty !! Don’t came and say it’s basically the same taste because it truly not the same taste !
Janice Pattie says
Hi Joao, thank you for the corrections. We really loved Madeira and returned again last year. We also loved the food of your country. It was incredibly difficult to find a recipe and apologies for getting the name wrong. When I ate the Bolo in Madeira, it definitely tasted of garlic but perhaps it was not the authentic recipe. I will add your comments to my recipe, thanks again for your help.
Choclette says
So many exciting recipes to try and so little time. But I absolutely must find time for this one. Love the idea of baking it in a pan and adding sweet potato.
Janice Pattie says
I agree, never enough time to try new recipes. It’s a fun make and super easy.
Margaret Pereira says
Thanks, Janice! My husband’s parents and older sister are from Madeira, and he recently had a craving for Bolo do caco. Since we live in California and are still under “shelter in place” restrictions, I’ve tried several different recipes found on the internet, but each one failed for one reason or another. Today, I tried yours. Success! One thing I changed about your recipe: I cooked the dough in an electric frying pan, which I preheated at the hottest setting. With the pan really hot, I dropped the dough straight on the pan (no fat, no butter), and cooked it, covered, for the 8 minutes per side you recommend. The bread was delicious. I look forward to making this again in the future since my whole family loved it!
Janice Pattie says
Im so pleased that you enjoyed the Bola do Caco, Margaret. We loved it when we were in Madeira and recipes are few and far between. What a great idea to make it using your electric frying pan to make the bread. Thanks again for letting me know. Janice
Ant Winder says
You are still spelling it wrong, though this was pointed out years ago in these comments! It’s bolo do caco. Why not correct it, especially in the title?
I have used this recipe a number of times having discovered this wonderful bread in Madeira like you did. The recipe was very useful to me when it was one of only a very few on the web. Thanks!
Janice Pattie says
Hi Ant
Thanks for your comment. I’ll make those changes as soon as possible. I’m glad you like the recipe.
Rouberto says
Hey! I’m so glad you loved our special bread from Madeira! It really is one of my favourite things about being Portuguese.
I thought you would appreciate some insight about the name! 🙂
“Bolo” doesn’t mean ball or round, that’s “bola”
“Bolo” means “cake”, and “caco” doesn’t mean wedge. It refers to the “caco” (kind of hot stone thing) that it is traditionally cooked on.
So, “Bolo do Caco” basically means, “cake of the stone” or “stone cake”
Thanks for sharing this recipe around the world and helping others fall in love with our food! 🙂
Janice Pattie says
Thanks for this useful information. We loved the bread and the island and hope to return for another visit.
Lesley says
Great recipe and something a little different to try. Love that it’s made in a pan for ease.
Janice Pattie says
Thanks Lesley, it’s fun to make and very tasty.
Cat says
An easy bread served with garlic butter?! Yes please!
Lanette says
Awesome recipe. Suggest perhaps adding a tsp of baking powder if using gluten free flower, but the texture was pretty darn good making it straight from the recipe.
Janice Pattie says
So glad you enjoyed the bread. I have not tried to make it with gluten free flour