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Carajitos del profesor
Carajitos del profesor: crackly hazelnut biscuits from the town of Salas
Salas, a small town on the old pilgrim road through western Asturias, is known for these cracked, chewy mounds of toasted hazelnut and sugar. Local lore says they were first baked for a teacher at the town's school, and the pastry shops still sell them by the bag to travellers and to families heading home from Sunday market. They need only three ingredients and no flour, so they suit anyone avoiding gluten. Chef's tip: toast the hazelnuts until they smell like praline before grinding them; it is what gives the biscuits their deep flavour.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Spread 9 oz blanched hazelnuts on a tray and toast at 350°F for 8–10 minutes, until golden and fragrant. Let them cool, then set the oven to 350°F fan-off and line a baking tray with baking paper.
10 minStep 2: Blitz the hazelnuts with 7 oz caster sugar in a food processor until finely ground but not oily. Stop as soon as it looks like damp sand: overworking turns it into a paste.
Step 3: Whisk 2 egg whites with a fork just until frothy, then stir them into the nut mixture to make a thick, sticky dough that you can scoop.
Step 4: With wet hands, form walnut-sized balls (about 25 g) and set them 4 cm apart on the tray. Press each one lightly so it is a low dome. You should get about 18.
Step 5: Bake for 12–15 minutes, until the surface has cracked and turned golden brown at the edges but the centres still feel soft when pressed. A common mistake is baking them until firm; they harden as they cool and will end up dry.
14 minStep 6: Cool on the tray for 10 minutes before lifting them off, then finish cooling on a rack. Dust with icing sugar if you like and keep them in a tin for up to a week.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbs
- 36 g
- Fat
- 24 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does carajitos del profesor take?
- About 35 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of caster sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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