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| Marzipan figures are among the traditional sweets for Christmas. |
You know the festive season has begun when the supermarkets set up their displays of holiday foods. Garlanded with tinsel are racks of hams of every price range, bottles of cava, boxes of chocolates. And, especially, traditional Christmas sweets.
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| Wrapped cookies, small cakes, tiny rings. |
Here are stacks of the famous turrones, nougat candies, essential for the traditional cena de Nochebuena (Christmas Eve dinner). Now they are confected, not just in the original Alicante (hard, with pieces of almonds) and Jijona (soft and fudgy), but in dozens of variations on the theme. Mazapanes (marzipan) in many shapes and sizes, from fat eels molded in a spiral and studded with candied fruits and beads of frosting to tiny figures.
Bins brim with Andalusia’s famed dulces—roscos (tiny ring cookies—or, are they doughnuts?); mantecados (crumbly lard cakes—or, are they cookies?), and polvorones (sesame-flecked, powdered sugar-dusted cookies—or, are they tiny cakes?). These are individually wrapped in tissue paper and sold both packaged and by weight—select a bagful of your favorites.
In panaderías (bread bakeries) and small tiendas, you might also find locally made empanadillas, little turnovers, spiced with aniseed and filled with candied squash or sweet potato. These are sometimes baked, but more often fried and coated in sugar.
Another great place for buying holiday treats is the convents where cloistered nuns make traditional sweets using recipes handed down through the centuries.
Markets also have a fabulous selection of nuts and dried fruits galore as well as sweets confected with them.
Of especial note is pan de higos, fig “bread.” It’s actually a dense roll of minced figs with almonds, sesame and spices. Another dulce is alfajores made of ground almonds mixed with honey and crumbs, dusted with powdered sugar. Is it a candy or a cookie?
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| Two kinds of Christmas sweets: top, roll of minced figs (pan de higos) with sesame, almonds and spices, and, below, alfajores, honey-almond logs made with ground almonds, crumbs, honey and spices. |
Spiced Honey-Almond Logs
Alfajores
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| Wrap alfajores in tissue paper. They keep well. |
These almond logs are best if made with whole, skinned almonds that are toasted in the oven. Ground in a food processor, they provide more texture than finely milled almond flour. If you choose to use the flour (unsweetened), toast it in the oven, stirring frequently, taking care that it does not scorch. (Hazelnuts can be used in addition to almonds if desired.) The spices, also, can be used whole or ground. If using whole ones, toast them (all except the cinnamon) before grinding. The sesame seed gets toasted, but not ground.
Once the nuts and spices are toasted, the alfajores do not require the oven. The ingredients are ground, mixed and shaped. Finished by dipping in sugar syrup, they keep well once dry.
You can use packaged fine dry breadcrumbs—unseasoned—but you can also make your own from plain breadsticks or sliced bread that has been toasted in the oven and then ground finely in a food processor.
The original recipe for alfajores calls for larger quantities of all the spices, especially cloves. This version allows the flavors of honey and almonds to predominate. You can certainly play with the spicing to suit yourself. Don’t be afraid to taste the mix before you roll out the logs.
The alfajores keep for weeks if they are individually wrapped in tissue paper, placed in an air-tight container, and stored in a cool place.
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| Honey, spices, almonds and breadcrumbs. |
Makes 18 (3-inch) rolls.
8 ounces blanched and skinned almonds (1 ¾ cups ground almonds)
¼ cup sesame seeds
¼ teaspoon ground aniseed
½ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground coriander seeds
1 ¾ cups fine dry bread crumbs (from 7 ounces breadsticks)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ cup sugar
2/3 cup honey (8 ounces)
For the glaze:
½ cup sugar
½ cup sifted confectioners’ sugar
Preheat oven to 350ºF.
Spread the almonds on a rimmed baking sheet. Spread the sesame, aniseed, cloves and coriander in a small baking pan. Toast the almonds and spices, stirring after 2 minutes. The spices should be fragrant and the sesame toasted in 3 minutes. Remove them. Stir the almonds again and toast until lightly golden, about 5 minutes total. Remove the almonds from the oven. (Turn off the oven.)
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| Grind almonds fine or coarse. |
Grind the almonds in a food processor as finely as possible, leaving any coarser pieces. (If making breadcrumbs from breadsticks, grind the breadsticks in the processor.) Combine the ground almonds, crumbs, toasted spices and cinnamon in a bowl.
Place the ¼ cup of sugar in a pan with ¼ cup of water. Bring to a boil and cook 1 minute. Remove from the heat.
Place the honey in a pan and bring it to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the boiled sugar-water to the honey. Stir in the almonds, crumbs and spices and mix well. The mixture will be sticky.
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| Make balls size of golf balls. |
While the almond-honey mixture is still warm, divide it into 18 balls, each weighing 1 ½ ounces or about the size of a golf ball,. Place a sheet of baking parchment on a work surface.
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| Roll logs of almond mixture. |
Working with one ball at a time, squeeze the balls to compress them, then roll or mold them into 3-inch logs. Place them as shaped on a sheet pan lined with baking parchment.
For the glaze, combine ½ cup of sugar in a pan with ½ of water. Bring to a boil and cook 5 minutes.
Dip the almond logs into the sugar syrup. Drain them and place on a rack to dry.
When the almond logs are dry, dredge them in confectioners’ sugar. Wrap them individually in tissue paper. Store the alfajores in an air-tight container. Serve the alfajores in their wrappings or slice them and place on a candy dish.
Fig Rolls
Pan de Higos
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| Minced figs are mixed with spices and ground almonds, shaped into rolls. |
Omit the confectioners’ sugar, if desired. The figs are quite sweet enough without added sugar. Also, if preferred, use a little sweet wine instead of the anise liqueur that is traditional. If using dried figs that have been packaged with a coating of rice flour (pictured below), just remove stems, shake off any excess flour and mince them.
The fig rolls keep very well stored in an air-tight container in a cool place.
Serve the fig roll sliced into discs and placed on a candy dish. It also combines nicely with salty foods such as serrano or ibérico ham. Skewer thin slices of ham and fig roll on picks for an appetizer. Sandwich thin slices of fig roll with smoked ham or bacon and bake in puff pastry. Serve the fig roll accompanied by aged Manchego or blue cheese.
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| Dried figs are coated in rice flour. |
Makes 4 (6-inch) rolls.
2 pounds dried figs, stems removed
¼ cup confectioners’ sugar
1 cup blanched and skinned almonds
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground aniseed
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (optional)
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
Grated lemon peel
¼ cup sweet anise liqueur, brandy or sweet wine
3 tablespoons toasted sesame seed
Sprinkle the figs with half of the confectioners’ sugar. Put the figs through a food grinder (or chop them in batches in a food processor). There should be about 6 cups of pulp. Place it in a bowl.
Put aside 16 almonds. Chop the rest and add to the figs.
Mix the remaining sugar with the cinnamon, aniseed, pepper, ginger and lemon peel. Sprinkle over the fig mixture and mix it in.
Add the anisette liqueur, brandy or sweet wine. With the hands, knead the mixture to blend well.
Divide the fig mixture into four equal portions. Roll each into a log, about 6 inches long and 1 ½ inch thick.
Spread the toasted sesame seed on a sheet of parchment paper. Roll the fig logs in the sesame, patting to flatten the logs slightly. Press 4 reserved almonds into the top of each of the fig rolls.
Let the rolls dry for 12 hours, then wrap them tightly in plastic wrap.
To serve, cut the rolls crosswise into discs and place on a candy dish.
More recipes for traditional Christmas sweets:
I missed a week!
ReplyDeleteThose Alfajores look delicious - I will be making them!