SPANISH CHRISTMAS COOKIES WITH A HINT OF MOORISH SPAIN

 

A recipe in Flavors of al-Andalus for Christmas cookies that are perfect for Hanukkah because they are made with olive oil. 

In my new cookbook, FLAVORS OF AL-ANDALUS, The Culinary Legacy of Spain, the chapter of “Sweets and Breads” includes many popular Christmas sweets that can trace their origins to Moorish Spain (711 to 1492), to the communities of Muslim and Sephardic Jewish peoples who populated the land.

Many present-day sweets and pastries have names, such as alfajores and almojábanas*, that come from Arabic. Even azúcar, sugar, comes from the Arabic sukkar. Though their confection might have changed in the centuries since Arabic was the lingua franca, many Spanish sweets still carry the traces of their origins. 

Following the Reconquest and the establishment of the Inquisition, Islamic and Sephardic culture and foodways were suppressed as a way to consolidate the power of the Catholic monarchs of the newly unified Spanish kingdom. Yet many of the confections of the time managed to survive.

Improbably, it was nuns in cloistered convents who kept alive the Moorish tradition of sweet making. Conversos, Jews (and some Muslims too), who converted to Catholicism rather than flee the country, became Christians, sometimes sending their daughters to take vows as nuns. Many took with them to the convents their cherished recipes for delectable pastries and confections--marzipan and almond nougat, airy fried pastry puffs, fig sweetmeats, jam-filled tarts. Made by nuns under the sign of the Cross, Moorish sweets lived on.

*Alfajores, Honey-Almond Logs, Almojábanas, Honey Buns 

A selection of store-bought Spanish Christmas sweets, all of which have their origins in Moorish Spain. Clockwise from upper left are marzipan pieces; turrón, almond nougat candy, and, on the platter, mantecados, polvorones, and roscos. 

Crumbly Olive Oil Cookies

Mantecados de Aceite

(Recipe from Flavors of al-Andalus)

The town of Estepa in the province of Sevilla is renowned for its mantecados, cinnamon-lard cookies (and the similar polvorones), which are said to have originated in the Santa Clara convent in the 16th century. Just as the town’s church of Santa María is built on the foundations of the mosque that came before (Estepa was Muslim from 711 to 1241), so the recipe for these cookies, beloved for the Christmas season, has its roots in Moorish times. Of course, the Moorish version wasn’t made with lard!

Olive oil replaces lard!

The Moorish recipe appears in an anonymous Andalusí cookbook from the 13th century. It calls for toasted wheat flour, honey, and oil kneaded together and spiced with black pepper and sweet spices. Present-day mantecados are made with sweet cinnamon and sometimes cloves, but no pepper; sugar instead of honey, and lard instead of olive oil. (Although, in this day of health-consciousness, the version with olive oil is popular again.) The crumbly, melt-in-the-mouth cookies migrated with Sephardic Jews. Made with oil, butter, or margarine, they are known in many parts of the world as biscochos, polvorones, pecan puffs, and Mexican wedding cookies. 

This recipe makes a tender cookie that crumbles easily, so handle carefully. Because they are crumbly, mantecados are usually individually wrapped in tissue paper. The cookies keep well if stored in an air-tight container.

Crumbly mantecados.

Use your best extra virgin olive oil for these cookies. Toasting the flour and almonds gets rid of excess moisture and adds a subtle toasted flavor. Take care not to let them brown—they should barely color. You will not need to flour the work surface because the oil keeps the dough from sticking. But you will need an off-set spatula or wide knife to lift the rounds of dough once they are cut. 

Makes 25 (1 ¾-inch) cookies 

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

1 cup ground almonds

2 teaspoons cinnamon

Pinch of salt

¾ cup extra virgin olive oil

1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted, plus additional for sprinkling on finished cookies

½ teaspoon grated lemon peel

1 tablespoon sesame seed

Preheat oven to 350º. 

Spread the flour on a rimmed baking sheet and the almonds in a shallow oven pan. Toast them in the oven, stirring every 5 minutes, until flour and almonds are lightly colored. The almonds will start to color in about 5 minutes. Remove them. The flour will be pale gold in about 15 minutes. Remove the flour and turn off the oven.

Cool the flour and almonds completely. Sift the flour with cinnamon and salt.

Place the oil, sugar, and lemon peel in a mixing bowl and beat them until very smooth. Gradually stir in the toasted flour, then the almonds.

Turn the dough out onto a board or marble work surface. Combine the dough by kneading it with a few squeezes. Gather it together in a ball and chill it for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment.

Divide the dough in half. Keep one half refrigerated. Roll or pat the other half out on an unfloured surface to a thickness of ¾ inch. Sprinkle some of the sesame seeds on top of the dough. With the rolling pin, press them into the surface of the dough.

Use a 1 ¾ -inch cookie cutter to cut rounds of the dough. Transfer them to the baking sheet. (Use a knife or offset spatula to lift them from the board.) Gather remaining dough, roll out and cut again.

Repeat rolling and cutting with the remaining half of dough. Sprinkle the tops of the cookies with sesame and press it lightly into the dough.

Bake the cookies until they are lightly golden, about 20 minutes. Do not let them brown. Slide the cookies on baking parchment onto a rack. Let them cool completely. 

Once the cookies are cool, wrap each cookie individually in a 7-inch square of tissue paper, twisting the ends to enclose.

Mantecados made with olive oil instead of lard, nougat, and marzipan are all perfect for the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah.

Here are more cookies and desserts from FLAVORS OF AL-ANDALUS that are cherished for Christmas and that are also suitable for Hanukkah (which begins tomorrow, December 14, at sundown). Most of the recipes in the book have headnotes, like the mantecados above, telling their backstory in Moorish Spain. 

Cookies and Cakes

Almond Cookies (Almendrados). Almonds are an emblematic ingredient of sweets and pastries from Moorish Spain. These are crisp-chewy, very easy to make. 

Orange-Scented Ring Cookies (Roscos de Naranja). Are they cookies or doughnuts? Good any time of the year, but especially beloved at Christmas. Roscos are delightful for dunking in coffee, tea, or sweet wine.

Shortbread Bars with Angel's Hair Filling (Cortadillos de Cidra). The cortadillos sold in shops are confected with lard and filled with "angel's hair," a confit made with candied gourd. The recipe in Flavors of al-Andalus is made with olive oil and filled with apricot jam.

Fig and Date Turnovers (Empanadillas de Higos y Dátiles). These turnovers with an olive-oil crust will remind you of mince pies. This version is baked, but the turnovers can also be fried.

Puddings

Almond Cream Pudding (Sopa de Almendras). In Spain this "almond soup" is served for the festive dinner of Noche Buena, Christmas Eve. It is a descendent of menjar blanc from medieval times. The soup is a thick cream while hot but cools to custard consistency. It is served with slices of sweet brioche.

Pumpkin-Almond Pudding (Arnadí). This dessert popular in the Valencia region, is said to be of Arab or Sephardic origin. In that era it would not have been confected of pumpkin, as the squashes were unknown at the time, but was probably made with edible gourds or eggplant. Serve this pudding as an alternative to pumpkin pie! 

Confections

Fig Pâté (Pan de Higos). Made with dried figs, almonds, and sesame seeds, this confection is called in Spanish fig "bread," although it's not really bread, nor is it baked. The pâté can be made with any dried fruit such as apricots, figs, raisins, prunes, or a mixture. The rolls make lovely holiday gifts.

Honey-Almond Logs (Alfajores). This honeyed sweet is related to turrón, almond nougat candy. For these, ground toasted almonds and breadcrumbs are mixed with spices and bound with a honey-sugar syrup, then rolled into logs. Delectable. They would typically be served with tiny copitas of sweet wine or anise liqueur, but they are also good with a cup of tea or a glass of milk.

Toledo Marzipan Rings (Melindres de Toledo). Made of ground almonds and sugar, marzipan is molded and colored into many shapes. These easy rings with white frosting are easily confected at home. 

Fried Pastries. 

Fried pastries have deep roots in the cooking of al-Andalus. Many of them are popular for the Christmas holidays: little fried pies filled with sweet potato paste and various sorts of fritters.

Fritters (Buñuelos). These fritters were street food sold in the souks of al-Andalus. Called isfanj in cookbooks of the era, buñuelos in present times are sold at stalls at village ferias and are special for holidays.

Honey-Glazed Fritters (Pestiños). This recipe doesn't appear in Flavors of al-Andalus, but you'll find it here. A traditional Andalusian homemade Christmas sweet, it is perfect for Hanukkah because it is fried in olive oil, symbolic of the holiday. 

You still have time to make these Christmas sweets. You'll find the recipes in FLAVORS OF AL-ANDALUS, a cookbook for Christmas gifting or a wonderful addition to your own kitchen! See below for where to order. 

I am so honored to have this review from chef and humanitarian, José Andrés.

The gorgeous Padma Lakshmi gave my book a shout-out on Instagram! See that video clip here

 

FLAVORS OF AL-ANDALUS 

The Culinary Legacy of Spain

Here's the ideal gift for the cooks in your life--FLAVORS OF AL-ANDALUS, The Culinary Legacy of Spain. This is a fresh angle on the traditional cooking of Spain, with 120 recipes that can trace their roots to Moorish Spain. See below for where to order. 

This cookbook explores the fascinating story of the deep and lasting influences that Islamic culture has left on modern Spanish cooking. 

Author and Spanish cooking expert Janet Mendel tells the story of the Moorish influence on Spanish cooking through 120 recipes and photographs for modern-day dishes, from salads and vegetables to fish, poultry and meat to sweets and pastries, that trace their heritage to foods served in medieval times. Dishes from this era include exotic spices such as saffron, the use of fruits and almonds with savory dishes, and honeyed sweets and pastries. The flavors of al-Andalus live on in modern Spanish cooking and are what makes Spain’s cuisine distinctive from the rest of Europe. (Hippocrene Books)    

 Order on IndiePubs (USA) 

Use PROMO CODE HIPPOCRENE40 for 40% off on all Hippocrene titles at IndiePubs online bookstore.

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(If you order on Amazon, please give my book a review!)

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ARTISANAL CHRISTMAS COOKIES FROM ANDALUSIA

Roscos de vino--an Andalusian Christmas cookie.

It took me a long time to get to like Spanish Christmas sweets—the ring cookies heavily flavored with aniseed, fried pastries filled with a sort of pumpkin jam and tiny lard cakes that crumbled into bits in the hand. They were all so different from the buttery, icing-topped cookies I knew growing up in Midwest America.

When I began collecting recipes, I joined village women in their kitchens to make many of these beloved holiday cookies and pastries. Gradually, I came to love them.

Mantecados are melt-in-the mouth cookies made with lard, almonds, cinnamon and sesame.

Nowadays, in my village, a few women still make homemade sweets. But, more and more, these are produced industrially. The town of Estepa in the province of Sevilla is renowned for its mantecados, cinnamon lard cookies, which are said to have originated in the 16th century in the Santa Clara convent.

Mantecados are the first in the trinity of Andalusian Christmas cookies—the other two are  polverones, “powder” cookies, and roscos de vino, tiny, wine-scented doughnuts. Polvorones are made with virtually the same lard dough as mantecados. After baking, they are dusted heavily with powdered sugar to “powder” them.

The winter hog-butchering season coincides with the Christmas holidays. After the hams are salted and the sausages hung to cure, pork fat is rendered to make pure, white lard. Lard makes melt-in-the mouth cookies. Mantecados also are made with olive oil. However, butter or other shortening is definitely not a substitute. (Yes, I know that so-called "Mexican wedding cookies," with butter, were originally Andalusian mantecados and polvorones.)

I call my homemade cookies “artisanal” because I bought a hunk of ibérico pork fat, rendered and strained  it to make pure lard.  I picked the almonds, cracked them, blanched and skinned them, toasted them in the oven, then ground them to meal.

Pork fat for making lard.

Do not use packaged lard for these cookies, as it is a hydrogenated product. Either render your own or find a butcher who makes it. You will need about 1 ½ pounds of pork fat to make 2 cups of lard. Chop the fat and heat it gently until melted. Strain. Cool and refrigerate, covered. The rendered fat solidifies and turns white as it cools.

In both of these recipes, the flour is lightly toasted before mixing. If you are making both cookies, prepare enough flour for them both in one go. This can be done a day or more in advance. Stir the flour every 5 minutes while toasting to avoid scorching it. It should be a pale gold in color. Let it cool completely, then sift the flour.

You can make these cookies bigger or thicker than I specify in the recipes. But, remember, that will change both the baking time and the yield. 

The cookies keep well in a cool place. They stay firmer if kept refrigerated.

Cinnamon-Lard Christmas Cookes
Mantecados

Let the baked cookies cool 10 minutes on the baking sheet before lifting them with a spatula, otherwise they will crumble.

Makes about 30 cookies.

Toast flour and almonds.

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup ground almonds
2 teaspoons cinnamon
Pinch of salt
1 cup lard
1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon sesame seed

Preheat oven to 350º. Place the flour on a rimmed baking sheet and almonds on a shallow oven pan. Toast them in the oven, stirring every 5 minutes, until flour and almonds are lightly colored. The flour will be pale gold, not brown, in about 15 minutes. Ground almonds need only about 4 minutes.

Cool the flour and almonds completely. Sift the flour with cinnamon and salt.

Beat lard until fluffy.

Place the lard in a mixing bowl and, on medium speed, cream it until fluffy. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar. Stir in the toasted flour, then the almonds.

Turn the dough out onto a board or marble work surface. Combine the dough by kneading it with a few squeezes. Gather it together in a ball and chill it for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Press sesame seed into the top of the dough.

Divide the dough in half. Keep one half refrigerated. Roll the other half out on an unfloured surface to a thickness of ¾ inch. Sprinkle some of the sesame seeds on top of the dough. With the rolling pin, press them into the surface of the dough.

Use a 2-inch biscuit cutter to cut rounds of the dough. Transfer them to a baking sheet lined with oven parchment. (Use a knife or offset spatula to lift them from the board.) Gather remaining dough, roll out and cut again.

Repeat rolling and cutting with the remaining half of dough.

 

Cool before lifting the cookies from baking sheet.

Bake the cookies for 20 to 25 minutes until they are lightly golden on top. Let them cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes. Use a spatula to lift them onto a rack to cool.

Once the cookies are cool, wrap each cookie individually in 7-inch squares of tissue paper, twisting the ends to enclose.

 Wine-Scented Ring Cookies
Roscos de Vino

There’s no sugar in this dough. The wine gives the cookies a slight sweetness. (Use Málaga muscatel, Pedro Ximenez or oloroso Sherry.) Once baked, the cookies are dusted with confectioners’ sugar.

Improvise--cut doughnut holes with cap from a marker.

Use a 2-inch doughnut cutter to cut the dough. If you don’t have one that small, use a 2-inch round cookie cutter to cut circles, then improvise with an apple corer or other tool to cut out the holes. (I used a champagne flute to cut the circles and the cap from a marker to cut out the holes.)

Makes 30 2-inch rings.

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
½  cup (unsweetened) ground almonds
1 cup lard
½ cup sweet wine, such as Málaga muscatel,    Pedro Ximenez or oloroso Sherry
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup powdered sugar
 

Preheat oven to 350ºF.
.
Spread the flour in a shallow baking pan. Place the almonds in another pan. Toast the flour and almonds in the oven, stirring occasionally, until they are lightly toasted. Let the flour and almonds cool completely.

Sift the flour and combine it with the almonds.

Using a mixer on medium speed, beat the lard until fluffy. Beat in the wine, cinnamon and cloves. Add the flour-almond mixture in three additions, stirring in at low speed just until combined to make a soft dough. Refrigerate the dough for at least 45 minutes or up to 24 hours.

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Divide the dough in half. Roll one half out on a board or marble work surface (you can cover it with baking parchment to avoid sticking) to a thickness of ½ inch. Use a 2-inch doughnut cutter to cut into rings. Place them on baking paper on a baking sheet. Gather up scraps of dough. Roll and cut remaining dough in the same manner. If dough becomes too soft and sticky, return it to the refrigerator to firm up.

When all of the dough has been cut, bake the rings until lightly browned, about 23 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes.

Place half the powdered sugar in a rimmed baking sheet. Use a spatula to transfer cookies to the sheet. Sift the remaining sugar over the cookies. Let them cool.

Once cool, the rings can be wrapped in tissue paper, as in the previous recipe.

Sweet wine in the cookies and a dusting of powdered sugar.

A basket of mantecados and roscos de vino, individually wrapped in tissue paper. (White is best.)

Cookie packets for giving to friends.

Another Spanish recipe with lard is here.

Here's a link to a Spanish TV chef making mantecados with extra virgin olive oil instead of lard (in Spanish) http://alacarta.canalsur.es/television/video/mantecados-de-aceite-roscones-de-chocolate-y-almendra/1843577/17.