Polvoron is a type of heavy, soft and crumbly Spanish shortbread. Polvo is Spanish for powder or dust and that refers to the sugar content in it. They are mostly made in Andalusia, where there are several factories that produce polvorons. They can also be called mantecados and with that name, are a traditional part of celebrations and special occasions in other spanish speaking countries. They are a popular holiday delicacy in not just Spain but also the Philippines and other countries around the world. Earlier, they were mostly produced between September and January, but now they are available all year round. So use this most delicious dessert recipe to learn how to make them yourself.
Ingredients:
- 180 gm all-purpose flour
- 83 gm raw blanched almonds
- 110 gm unsalted butter
- 150 gm granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F or 177°C.
- Place the almonds on a baking tray and toast them in the oven until they turn a light brown. That’s about 10 minutes. Then reduce the temperature and continue baking for a few more minutes. Then remove the almonds from the oven and grind the almonds into a flour-like texture. Set aside.
- In a bowl, add the butter, sugar, salt and cinnamon and beat with a handheld mixer or a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Beat until all the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Now add the flour to the butter mixture, one spoon at a time. First add some, thoroughly beat it in, then add more of the flour, and so on.
- Then add the ground almonds to the mixture and mix until it's a crumbly dough. Scrape down the sides and drop it back into the bowl and mix well.
- Shape the dough into a ball. Place waxed paper on a clean countertop and then place the dough ball on top. Then flatten the dough with a rolling pin that has been dusted with flour. Shape it into a rectangle that’s about half an inch thick.
- Use a cookie cutter or small bowl to cut the dough into small rounds. Collect the dough scraps, form them into a ball, roll them out and then create more rounds, until it is all used up.
- Grease a baking tray and place the cookies on it. Be gentle, you don't want the dough to tear.
- Bake the cookies for about 30 minutes. The exact time will depend on the machine you're using. You’ll know it's done when the edges start to turn a golden brown.
- Then let the cookies cool on the tray, because if you try to move them while they are still hot they might crumble. Once cooled, move them to a wire rack.
- Dust the cookies with powdered sugar and serve cool.
Notes, tips and tricks:
- The almonds are toasted before using because that enhances their flavor and makes it stand out more strongly.
- If you don't have almonds, you can also use almond flour. Toast the flour for a short time in a skillet or in the oven, and then use.
- The butter you’re using needs to be at room temperature. If the butter is cold, it wont mix properly with the dough, and the dough will be lumpy. If you try to heat or melt the butter on the stove or in the microwave, it will become liquidy and the dough will be too runny. So it's best to use butter that has been sitting out at room temperature and has naturally softened.
- The recipe calls for unsalted butter and a pinch of salt because the salt really brings out the other flavors of the dish, amplifying and highlighting them. But if you don't have unsalted butter, you can use salted butter too. Simply skip the salt if you are using this.
- Make sure you beat the mixture enough that all the granulated sugar has dissolved completely. This will take a few minutes. If you try to rush the process then the cookies will be crunchy from the sugar and not everyone likes that particular texture.
- You can add more or less cinnamon depending on your taste preferences.
- The cookies can be topped with chocolate sauce, caramel sauce or be given any other modern twist you can think of.