Spanish Polvoron

with cinnamon

with powdered milk

I love Filipino Polvoron, homemade or store-bought. I haven't tasted its Spanish parent which is made with powdered almond. Spanish polvoron, unlike the Filipino cookie which is simply molded after mixing, is baked in a low heat oven for 30 to 45 minutes. They are not as crumbly and therefore easier and neater to eat.

I added powdered milk to a quarter recipe and I'm not liking the texture. The flavor is great but it does not have the melt-in-your-mouth quality. They are closer to shortbread than to polvoron.

Most recipes including the one in my Spanish cookbook have lightly toasted slivered blanched almonds ground to a fine powder. I just used blanched almond flour I got from Costco. I don't know if there is a difference in texture. I'm happy with the cookies and will use almond flour again when I get a craving for Spanish or Filipino polvoron.

Spanish Polvoron

1 cup almond flour
1½ cups all-purpose flour
12 tablespoons vanilla infused superfine sugar
½ tablespoon cinnamon powder
½ teaspoon lemon zest
¾ cup melted and cooled butter

• Preheat oven to 300° F.
• Toast almond flour and all-purpose flour in separate shallow pans for 15 minutes, stirring after 8 minutes. Let cool completely.
• In a large bowl, whisk together flours, sugar, lemon zest, and cinnamon powder. Stir in butter until evenly mixed.
• Mold into oblong or round shapes onto parchment-lined baking sheet/s.
• Bake in a preheated 250°F oven for 30 minutes or until light golden.
• Transfer cookies/candies still on parchment on the kitchen counter and let cool completely. Wrap individually in cellophane.

Filipino-style Spanish Polvoron

Substitute 4 tablespoons whole milk powder for cinnamon; prepare as above.