ASTURIAN MARAÑUELAS
This cookies are typical from Candas and Luanco, two beautiful sailor villages in Asturias (North of Spain), they are believed to come from their viking past.
Sailor’s wifes baked them for their husbands to be in perfect conditions for weeks in the sea. That’s why they are sooo chewy and aromatic.
Asturian Marañuelas
Servings 6 people
Cost 5$
Equipment
- Oven
- Saucepan
Ingredients
- 3 unit Eggs
- 3 unit Egg yolks
- 2 cup White sugar
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 cup Clarified butter
- 1 tablespoon Clarified butter
- 6 + 3/4 cup Bread flour Or 850 g
- 1 teaspoon Baking soda
- 2,5 tablespoon Baking powder
- One lemon zest
- One lemon juice
- 1/2 Anisette liqueur
Instructions
Clarified Butter
- We need a saucepan, butter and a glass recipient.
- Cook around 350g butter (1+1/2 cups) on your saucepan until it melts, retire from the heat and pour on your glass or recipient without removing it.
- Let it cool for some minutes and you will see how the butter divides into three parts, you have to move away the white up and down sediments and use the middle yellow butter.
- Once it cool we will have around 1 cup + 1 tablespoon of our cool butter.
Marañuelas
- In a big bowl mix the strong flour, white sugar, anisette, salt, baking powder and butter (if clarified better).
- If the dough is too sticky, you can add one more tablespoon of flour.
- We will have a dense dough. Let it cool covered with a cloth for two hours.
- Prepare your baking tray.
- Once the dough have rest, you can form our marañuelas. I made some portions with my hands forming them on a surface.
- Place your marañuelas on your baking tray choosing the forms you like.
- Bake them 356ºF (180º C) for around 30-40 minutes, depending on your oven. They will brown.
- Let them cool on a rack and enjoy.
- I know, they are so aromatic with the lemon and a touch of anisette.
Flour is not listed in the ingredient list but is mentioned in the directions so how much flour should I use?
Sorry Abby, I will correct it right now, 850g, 6+3/4 cups, you will bake a big amount of marañuelas with this recipe (is an old school traditional recipe when families were big, you can bake half of the recipe if you prefer) I am following the traditional recipe for at least 3 dozens of marañuelas cookies.
It was interesting to learn of the biscuit’s Viking origins, as my wife’s ancestors came from Norway. She was born and brought up in Shetland, and when she was a child, her grandmother used to make similar biscuits. We visited Luanco last week whilst on vacation and bought some from a bakery. They are what we’d call a “dunking” biscuit – they need a quick dip in coffee or tea to soften them slightly and they are delicious. We’ll certainly try your recipe.
Thank you so much for your comment. It’s fascinating how two places so far apart can be closely connected through history and gastronomy. I hope you enjoy my recipe.