Recipe Manuscript

Torta De Jocoque

Name: Torta De Jocoque
Prep time: PTPT30M
Cook time: PTPT50M
Yield: 12
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 460 grams rice (short or medium grain preferred); 8 egg yolks; 2 egg whites; 2 cups (approx. 500 grams) jocoque (substitute: Greek yogurt or labneh); 115 grams unsalted butter, softened; 460 grams powdered sugar; Butter for greasing molds; Grated sponge cake crumbs or dry breadcrumbs for dusting molds

"Jocoque Cake"

1904

From the treasured pages of Cuaderno de Carmen Volante

Written by Cármen Volante

Early Modern Kitchen (1900 - 1930)American Intermediate Dessert

Original Recipe • 1904

Original Manuscript(circa Early Modern Kitchen, 1900 - 1930)

As inscribed by the original author's hand, transcribed with care by Lost Kitchen Scrolls

Torta De Jocoque

"Se lavan, remojan y secan 460 grms de arroz, después se remuelen muy bien, se le ponen 8 yemas de huevo 2 tazas de jocoque, 115 grms de mantequilla, todo se revuelve muy bien y se bate hasta que haga ojitos. Se deja reposar un poco mientras se baten 2 claras. Se mescla a la masa 460 gms de azúcar, en polvo, se revuelve muy bien, en seguida se revuelven las claras y se sigue batiendo otro rato. Se untan los moldes con mantequilla y se les pone bizcocho en polvo, se vacía en ellos un tanto regular. Se meten al horno suave. Se les meterá un palito para saber si están cocidos, pues siendo así este saldrá limpio."

English Translation

"Wash, soak, and dry 460 grams of rice, then grind it very well. Add 8 egg yolks, 2 cups of jocoque (fermented milk), and 115 grams of butter. Mix everything very well and beat until bubbles form. Let it rest a little while you beat 2 egg whites. Add 460 grams of powdered sugar to the dough and mix very well. Next, mix in the beaten egg whites and continue beating for a while longer. Grease the molds with butter and sprinkle with cake crumbs, then pour in a moderate amount of the mixture. Bake in a low oven. Insert a toothpick to check if it is cooked; if so, the toothpick will come out clean."

Note on the Original Text

The recipe is written in a narrative, conversational style, omitting precise temperatures and timings but relying on tactile cues: for example, 'batir hasta que haga ojitos' (beat until it makes little eyes), referring to visible bubbles indicating aeration. This reflects the cook’s reliance on experience rather than measurement. Spellings and word choices reflect early 20th-century Mexican Spanish—for example, 'remuelen' for a labor-intensive grinding process, and 'bizcocho en polvo' meaning dried sponge cake crumbs, not modern baking powder. Such recipes assume familiarity with kitchen rhythms and leave much to the accomplished hand of the cook.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Cuaderno de Carmen Volante - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Cuaderno de Carmen Volante (1904)

You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome

Writer

Cármen Volante

Era

1904

Publisher

Unknown

Background

A handwritten culinary treasure from 1904, this manuscript brims with delicious soups, salsas, tantalizing meat entrées, embutidos, fresh fish, irresistible desserts, preserves, cakes, and refreshing drinks. Each page tempts with recipes sure to inspire any gourmet’s imagination.

Kindly made available by

University of Texas at San Antonio

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe is drawn from Cármen Volante’s '6o Cuaderno,' an eclectic manuscript cookbook compiled in 1904 Mexico, a time when handwritten collections bridged family memory and culinary exchange. Recipes like this Torta de jocoque, featuring locally available dairy and rice, showcase the interplay between indigenous Mexican ingredients and influences from Iberia and the Middle East. Jocoque, a staple in Mexican Jewish and Lebanese communities, was commonly made at home or bought fresh at the market. Such desserts reflect both festive and everyday creativity, transforming humble ingredients and kitchen labor into celebratory fare for households of the Porfiriato era—when French, Spanish, and Levantine tastes mingled at the Mexican table.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

In 1904, this recipe would be made using a flat stone metate or hand grinder (molcajete) to process the rice into flour, and large earthenware bowls for mixing the batter. Egg whites would be beaten vigorously by hand with a wire whisk or carved wooden molinillo. Heavy cast iron or copper molds were greased liberally with butter, then dusted with hand-crumbled dried bizcocho (sponge cake). Baking would have taken place in a wood-fired masonry oven, carefully managed for even, gentle heat.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

30 mins

Cook Time

50 mins

Servings

We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!

Ingredients

1 pound (16 ounces) rice (short or medium grain preferred)
8 egg yolks
2 egg whites
2 cups (about 18 ounces) jocoque (substitute: Greek yogurt or labneh)
4 ounces (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 pound (16 ounces) powdered sugar
Butter for greasing molds
Grated sponge cake crumbs or dry breadcrumbs for dusting molds

Instructions

Begin by washing, soaking, and thoroughly drying 1 pound (16 ounces) of rice.
Finely grind or blend the rice until you have a fine flour.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the rice flour with 8 egg yolks, 2 cups (about 18 ounces) of jocoque (a tangy Mexican cultured dairy akin to Middle Eastern labneh or Greek yogurt), and 4 ounces (1/2 cup) of unsalted butter, softened.
Mix very well and whisk until the batter is smooth and starts to develop small bubbles.
Let this mixture rest briefly.
Meanwhile, beat 2 egg whites until stiff peaks form.
To the rice mixture add 1 pound (16 ounces) of powdered sugar, mixing until fully dissolved.
Gently fold in the beaten egg whites to keep the batter light.
Continue beating or gently folding until the mixture is well incorporated and slightly airy.
Grease your molds (loaf pans or cake tins) with butter and dust with finely grated sponge cake crumbs or substitute with dry breadcrumbs.
Pour in the batter, filling each mold to about halfway.
Bake in a moderate oven (about 325°F/160°C) until set and golden—insert a skewer, which should come out clean when done.
Allow to cool slightly before unmolding.

Estimated Calories

370 per serving

Cooking Estimates

It takes about 30 minutes to prepare the ingredients, including grinding the rice and mixing the batter. Baking will take around 50 minutes. Each serving has about 370 calories, and this recipe makes 12 servings.

As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.

We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.