Sweet Christmas treats - Spanish Style

Christmas is upon on us in the Marina Alta and, although it is not the commercial frenzy it is in other countries, people love an excuse to throw a fiesta and indulge themselves. These days Spain is increasingly influenced by the USA and the rest of Europe. Christmas is more becoming more commercial, but Día del Reyes, on the 6th January, is still more celebrated and that is when the children go to the church to collect their presents.

If you live in the Marina Alta you will have noticed that all supermarkets set up displays exclusively for christmas sweets and cakes. Here are some of the most popular ones that you will see in the shops around the festive season.

Turrón

Every household has turrón on offer around christmas time. Dating back to the 15th century, but some think it was introduced during the Muslim invasions in the 8th century, turrón is to Spain what mince pies are to the UK. These days it has many forms but traditionally, it was made using only honey, sugar, egg whites and toasted almonds. There are two types; Turrón de Alicante and Turrón de Jijona. Turrón de Alicante is hard and very crunchy with whole almonds and Turrón de Jijona is soft and crumbly and made with ground almonds. 15 million tonnes of it are eaten every year in Spain and 89% of that is around christmas and Día del Reyes.

Polverones and Mantecados

Polverones are small sweet treats that taste like shortbread but more crumbly. They are made with almonds, sugar and lard.  Mantecados are similar but even softer and can be flavoured with cinnamon, lemon and coconut. Wrapped individually in paper, they melt in your mouth when you bite them and are eaten with a hot drink. 

Pestiños

These are fried, dough pastries that look like envelopes. They are flavoured with sesame and anise and drizzled with honey or sugar syrup.

Peladillas

These are sweet coated almonds, in all homes displayed in a jar at christmas time.

Almendrucos

Almendrucos are white wafer biscuits, shaped like alomnds and filled with soft turrón. 

Mazapán

Marzipan sweets shaped like figures or fruits.

Roscós de vino

These are similar to polverones but harder and made with sweet wine and icing on the top.

Roscón de Reyes

The Roscón is the most important treat and all households with children have one for the Día del Reyes. It can be home made, but normally it is bought from the baker or supermarket and it can be plain or filled with either cream or chocolate. It is then decorated with candied fruits and sugar and a paper crown is included in the box.  It is a round, ringed cake, the size of a large dinner plate, it tastes more like sweet bread and it is baked with two surprises inside. One is a figurine of a king and if you get the king in your portion you get to wear the crown and be royalty for the day. The other surprise is a bean and if you get the bean you have to pay for the Roscón next year!

The team at Jacaranda Spain would like to wish all our clients and friends a very Happy Christmas and a Feliz Día del Reyes!