Flavors that evoke Christmas
Talking about mantecados and polvorones is talking about Christmas. And this product is closely linked to this special period such as the last months of the year. Mantecados and Polvorones were sweets that could not be missing from any family's table: a delicacy made for everyone, regardless of their social class.
Mantecado is a product of Andalusian origin made with a base of lard. In Spain there are several towns specialized in the production of this sweet, but currently the main production focus is in Andalusia, specifically, in the cities of Antequera and Estepa. The Antequera mantecado is the Malaga mantecado par excellence. In this city, production is counted each year by tons. Within the types of shortbreads there are many varieties that differ from each other by the ingredients with which they are made, by their geometric shape and by their flavor.
Some of the most popular are: lemon shortbread, chocolate shortbread, almond shortbread, puff pastry shortbread or cinnamon shortbread. The Polvorón de Málaga The Polvorón is a product derived from mantecado. The main differences are in the shape (the Polvorón is more elongated and less round than the Mantecado) and in the ingredients: the Polvorón includes pieces of almond and is covered in sprinkled sugar. As with mantecados, a large part of the Polvorones production in Spain originates in Antequera. Malaga wine roscos Another of the star products on the tables during Christmas are the wine roscos. As their name indicates, wine roscos are small donuts that are made with flour, oil, sugar... and a touch of wine. They are generally covered in icing sugar, which gives them a particular white tone all over their surface. Others, however, only have sugar sprinkled on the top of the donut. Malaga wine roscos are one of the most outstanding and popular products of Malaga pastries. This product has become so popular in Malaga that it can be enjoyed throughout the year, being one of the main attractions for visitors who want to try the local cuisine.
Did you know...
The recipe for mantecados originates in Antequera.
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Mantecado and Polvorón are an original Andalusian product. The fact that they contain lard completely removes the doubt that it could be a recipe inherited from the Arab period in Spain. The Malaga city of Antequera, next to Estepa, was a pioneer in the production of this product. Despite its historical tradition accompanying generations and generations of Spaniards at Christmas, mantecado is a relatively young sweet: it only began to be made two centuries ago.
