Polvorones

Polvorones are traditional Spanish sweets, particularly popular during the Christmas period. Similar to crumbly biscuits, they are known for their melt-in-the-mouth consistency. I will do my best to add an Italian touch to this recipe.

Ingredients

• 250g of flour
• 90g of powdered sugar (plus a little extra for dusting)
• 125g of lard
• 80g of finely chopped almonds
• 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon powder
• A pinch of salt
• Grated zest of 1/2 lemon (to add that Italian touch)

Preparation

1. First, toast the flour in a non-stick pan or in the oven at 120 °C for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. This step is important to give polvorones their classic flavor.
2. Meanwhile, also toast the almonds until they are golden and then chop them finely.
3. Let the flour and almonds cool down.
4. In a bowl, add the lard at room temperature and work it with the powdered sugar until you have a smooth mixture.
5. Add the cooled flour, the chopped almonds, the cinnamon, the salt, and the lemon zest. Knead until you form a smooth dough.
6. Prepare a baking tray with parchment paper and, using a biscuit cutter or simply your hands, form discs about one centimeter thick.
7. Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
8. Bake the polvorones for about 15-20 minutes, or until they are a very light golden color.
9. Remove them from the oven and let them cool completely, as they are very crumbly when hot.
10. Once cooled, dust them with extra powdered sugar.

Trivia

The name “polvorones” comes from the Spanish word “polvo”, meaning dust, referring to the dusty consistency these sweets take on when eaten. They are close relatives of mantecados, another typical Spanish sweet. Remember that they should be stored in dry environments to maintain their unique consistency.