Sweet Recipes From Spain

Note: This article has been excerpted from a larger work in the public domain and shared here due to its historical value. It may contain outdated ideas and language that do not reflect TOTA’s opinions and beliefs.

From Recipes of All Nations by Countess Morphy, 1946.

Spaniards are very fond of sweet things, and most of their sweets are extremely sweet. They crystallize every kind of fruit — and in a few cases, vegetables — and among the most popular sweetmeats are their turrones, which are very reminiscent of French nougat. They make extensive use of both vanilla and nutmeg flavouring, and chocolate is in great favour.

Arroz Con Leche a la Gallega

(Rice with milk a la Galicia)

Ingredients: 6 ozs. of rice, 6 ozs. of sugar, 1 1/2 pints of milk, 2 ozs. of butter, a pinch of salt, vanilla flavouring or nutmeg.

Method: Wash the rice, put it in a saucepan of boiling water and boil for 5 minutes. Then put it on a sieve and place it under the cold water tap for a few minutes. Have ready a saucepan of boiling milk, to which the sugar, butter and a pinch of salt and either the vanilla or nutmeg flavouring have been added. Throw in the rice and, when the milk again comes to the boil, set on a very slow fire and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, covering closely. The mixture is then put in a frying pan and fried, and sprinkled with sugar. The top is finally browned with either a red-hot poker or a red-hot iron.

Turron de Gandia

(Almonds and sugar)

These delicious and typical Spanish turrones are familiar to all those who have visited Spain, and there are many varieties of them.

This particular one is made with blanched, skinned and roasted almonds, allowing 3/4 lb. of sugar to every 1 lb. of almonds. The sugar used is loaf sugar, crushed and rubbed through a fine sieve. The almonds are finely chopped with half the quantity of sugar, then pounded in a mortar, the remaining sugar being added gradually. Put the mixture in an iron saucepan, bring to the boil, stirring continuously, and when sufficiently thick pour into small wooden frames or boxes lined with rice paper, till the mixture sets.

Turron de Jijona

(Almonds, sugar and honey)

This turron is slightly different from the preceding one, as honey is added to the sugar and almonds. To every 1 lb. of almonds allow 1/2 lb. of sugar and 1/4 lb. of honey. The blanched, roasted and chopped almonds are pounded in a mortar with the sugar, then put in a saucepan with the honey, stirred till the mixture begins to brown and poured in wooden frames or boxes lined with rice paper.

Bizcocho de Patatas Domenech

(Cake a la Domenech)

This excellent Spanish cake is the ‘‘creation” of the famous Catalonian chef, Ignacio Domenech, and is extremely popular in Barcelona.

Ingredients: Four whole eggs, the yolks of 2 eggs, 6 ozs. of sugar, 1/4 lb. of potato flour, 1 1/2 ozs. of flour, almonds, grated lemon peel.

Method: Break the eggs in a saucepan, add the sugar and put on a very slow fire. Beat vigorously with a whisk till the mixture has doubled in volume. Add the potato flour, mixed with the ordinary flour, very gradually, and mix in the grated lemon peel. Beat for another ten minutes or so, then pour into a well-buttered mould, strewn with shredded almonds, previously blanched, and bake in a moderate oven till the cake begins to brown.

Confitura de Tomate

(Tomato jam)

This is a very popular jam in Spain, where tomatoes are plentiful and far sweeter than the tomatoes we get in this country.

To every 4 tablespoons of tomato pulp, allow 4 tablespoons of sugar, and 1 or 2 tablespoons of brandy or rum.

To obtain the tomato pulp, quarter the tomatoes and put them in a saucepan without any liquid. Place on a slow fire and crush the tomatoes with a wooden spoon. Simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours till reduced to a pulp, and rub through a sieve. Put the pulp in a saucepan with the sugar and brandy and simmer on a slow fire till the consistency of jam. This jam makes an excellent filling for cakes.

Churos

(Spanish fritters)

These delicious and very special fritters are usually eaten at breakfast in Spain—breakfast consisting merely of a cup of chocolate or coffee, in which the Spaniard dips his churos. In this country, however, they are more suitable as a light luncheon sweet, and their peculiar shape makes them both attractive and novel.

Ingredients: For about 6 people: 5 ozs. of flour, 2 ozs. of butter, 3 large eggs or 4 small ones, 1/2 pint of water, a pinch of salt, a flavouring of either vanilla, lemon, rum or orange flower water, sugar.

Method: Put the water and the butter, divided in small pieces, in a small saucepan with a pinch of salt. Stir till the butter melts and bring to the boil. As soon as the liquid is boiling remove the saucepan from the fire, add the flour and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon, working to a perfectly smooth paste. Now replace on a slow fire and stir till the paste no longer clings to the pan or to the spoon. Then add the eggs, slightly beaten, one at a time, mixing thoroughly so that the paste absorbs the eggs. Add the flavouring and, when the paste is sufficiently firm, put a little of it in a piping machine used for icing cakes, with a piping funnel just under 1/2 an inch wide. Drop the mixture into a deep frying pan of hot oil in long lengths of about 12 inches which curl up as they are cooked, and fry till a light golden colour. They swell out to about 1 inch in thickness and, immediately they are done, they should be removed from the oil and drained on a cloth in the oven. Before serving, sprinkle with sugar.

“Tocinos del Cielo”

(‘‘Little pigs of heaven”)

This sweet with the quaint name is made by boiling to the small thread, 1/4 lb. of lump sugar with the equivalent amount of water, i.e. when the syrup can be drawn out to a fine thread which breaks at a short distance. Remove from the fire and, when slightly cool, the yolks of 6 eggs, previously well beaten, are mixed in very gradually. The mixture is then poured either in small buttered moulds or in a large mould, the moulds or mould being placed in a saucepan of boiling water and the mixture simmered till just set. It is then turned out of the moulds and allowed to stand till quite cold. A chocolate sauce, made as follows, is poured over them; Dissolve 2 sticks of chocolate in 6 tablespoons of water, stir and, when the chocolate is dissolved, remove from the fire. When cold pour over the “Little pigs of heaven.”

Melon Relleno Del Mono

(“The Monkey’s” stuffed melon)

This dish derives its name from the famous Spanish liqueur, Anis del Mono, which is made at Badalona, in Catalonia, and is considered one of the best anisettes in the world. The top is removed from a ripe melon, the seeds are carefully scooped out, and a wine-glass of the liqueur is poured in. The melon is kept on ice or in a cool place for several hours before it is served.

Roscas a la Natillas

(Puff pastry garnished with cream)

This delicious sweet consists of a vol-au-vent of puff pastry garnished with the following cream: Four whole eggs, 1 1/2 ozs. of flour, just over 1 pint of milk, 7 ozs. of sugar, a pinch of salt. Vanilla flavouring. Put the milk in a saucepan, with the vanilla (or other flavouring, if preferred), bring to the boil and simmer for a few minutes. Put the eggs, the flour, the sugar, with a pinch of salt, in another saucepan and work all well together. Then add the milk very gradually, working continuously with a whisk or a wooden spoon. When quite smooth, place the saucepan on a very slow fire and stir till the mixture begins to boil. Keep on stirring for another 2 minutes, remove from the fire and pour into a basin to cool.

Morphy, Countess. Recipes of All Nations. H. Joseph. 1946.

Countess Morphy

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