It has been a very busy and interesting November. A few days of holidays in Spain, 2 weeks travelling in Northern India and a weekend at Ballymaloe Cooking School. I might post some of the India pictures soon…
It is time to go back to the kitchen. And, as Christmas is coming, I will start with a Spanish traditional Christmas sweet.
Mantecadas are made with lard (manteca). And it gives a different texture, they melt in your mouth.
Delicious with a good coffee. I had 7 or 8 since yesterday.
Not the healthier option but who is 100% healthy in this period of the year?
Music by Monster and Men…Little Talks.
Ingredients (for around 25)
- 375gr. Plain Flour.
- 200gr. Lard (Iberico if you are in Spain).
- 4 Table Spoons White Sugar.
- 8gr. Baking Powder.
- Juice from half Lemon.
- 2 Table spoons Sambuca.
- 2 Eggs.
- A bowl with White Sugar.
Preparation
Put in a bowl the flour and baking powder. Mix and make a hole in the center.
Whisk the eggs in a separate bowl for 1 minute.
Add the lard (at room temperature for a few hours), sugar, lemon juice, Sambuca and the eggs to the flour bowl.
Mix well with your hands. Form a ball. Cover with cling film and reserve in the fridge for 20 minutes.
Pre heat the oven at 150 degrees.
Sprinkle some flour on a clean surface. Flat the dough with a roller to 1.5 cm thick. Cut the dough with a rounded cookie cutter (5cm. diameter).
Place them in an oven tray with baking paper. Bake for 30-35 minutes. They should just get slightly brown on the outside.
While still warm batter them in the bowl with white sugar and let them cool down.
Keep them in a tin. They last for at least a week…if you can resist them.
Great to have you back … and I’m looking forward to your holiday photos. You have been missed.
This looks easy enough for me … so I will add this to my file. Still have that rice bread … to do, have all ingredients – but never come around to it.
Welcome back and like your music choice.
By the way my post for today is about the Nobel Dinner, maybe that could interest you.
These sound really tasty!
Kenley
Nice recipe! Been wondering where you went. I am very excited to see what new things you learned in your travels and the Ballymaloe Cooking School. Sounds like you had a good time.
I have had these over in Spain when visiting the parents in law. There is a wonderful coffee shop in Marbella that serves these beauties (and numerous other delicious Spanish pastries). A difficult place to get out of…
Best,
Conor
So very pretty!
What size rounds do you recommend cutting out? These look completely delicious. I have never seen anything like them before! I know they won’t last long in my home though- mainly down to me!!!! Yum xxx
These look delicious.
You had me at lard.
Beautiful photo and then I read the ingredients and practically fell in love. Though I’m not a sweet eater, the addition of lemon and Sambuca sounds divine…I will have to try these. Thanks so much for sharing!
Ooooh, very nice. Worth the decadent lard thing!
Well this must be made at Christmas, to make my boyfriend happy! I prepared some snow-cookies (“hókifli”) the other day and when he saw them he said “wow, mantecadas”, I was sad to say nope, hókifli. He liked them anyway, but it is time for the real deal
Thanks for the recipe!!
These look incredibly good. My mother used to make pie crusts with lard. I wish it were still possible to easily find pastry-quality lard in the U.S. Nothing wrong with a once in awhile indulgence. Ken
Actually there is a whole movement of going back to lard… it’s real. These look fabulous.
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