Polvoron
Polvoron
Polovron is a type of shortbread with Levantine origin, popular in Spain, more specifically in Andalucia as well as its past colonies such as Philippines and Mexico. It is a very simple shortbread which is made out of flour, sugar and milk.
In Philippines it is called “pulburon” in Mexico and Spain it is called “mantecado” (Update: It’s not called as such but it is a type of mantecado) and in US its called “Pan de Polvo”. Even though they are named differently in each region they share the common basic ingredients mentioned earlier plus the addition of local ingredients available to each region such as nuts and fat. Since peanuts, cashew and pinipig (this is not a nut, type of green sticky rice which is pounded) is abundant in Philippines those ingredients are commonly added, while in Mexico they use pecans and in US they use anise (not a nut as well). Same goes with the type of fat used; in Philippines we use butter, in Mexico and Spain they use pig fat and the modern version uses olive oil.
Now this post was from the idea of one of my blog readers “The pleasure monger” where she asked whether I have a recipe of polvoron, I promised to deliver it by posting it in a weeks time and here it is. She had tried both the Spanish and Filipino version and gave a thumbs up on the Filipino version. Now for this recipe, it will be a bit improvised as we dont have the poloron moulds here in New Zealand as well as those fancy translucent plastic wraps, so a medicine cup is used instead and no wrapper will be used.
Ingredients
3 1/2 cups flour, sifted
2 1/2 cups powdered full cream milk, sifted
2 cups caster sugar, sifted
1 cup toasted pinipig, ground (a type of green stick rice which is pounded)
1 cup butter, melted
Instructions
- Using a non stick pan add flour and lighlty toast it while stirring continously.
- Turn of the heat and while flour is still hot mix in milk, sugar, pinipig and melted butter. Mix evenly.
- Now using a plovorn moulder (I use medicine cups) place the powder inside and compact it. Once its all packed give it a light tap on the top to release each cake.
4. Chill then serve. If you want you can place them in cellophanes and wrap them individually.
What a fun and different recipe – I have never eaten Polvoron before, they look lovely. It looks like they will crumble when you bite into them, or do they stay firm once chilled and would you keep them refrigerated? Thanks.
🙂 Mandy
They do stay firm as long as its cold, if not they do crumble, thats why people eat it with care.
Thank you for posting this!!! I’ve been looking for the recipe all over the web and couldn’t find one!! Now the tough task is to get the pinipig…..I don’t know if they sell it in the UK…=(
You can use nuts like peanuts and cashew, in Spain I know they use pecans instead
Now I know the proper way of making this polvoron. When I first tried to make one, it end up looking pastillas haha. Thanks for this recipe.
These look awesome!! Great picture too, by the way. =)
Thanks Jenna
i’m so excited! if i can’t find pinipig, I’ll do variations on it then, can’t wait!!!
Wow, those polvorons look delicious!
I also have a cupcake version of this dessert on my blog, you should check that too.