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Catalinas
Chewy panela anise cookies
Catalinas: soft, chewy panela cookies with anise and warm spices
Catalinas are the big dark cookies stacked in clear bags by the till of every Venezuelan bodega and panadería, eaten as a mid-afternoon snack with a glass of cold milk or a small black coffee. The dough is sweetened with melted panela and perfumed with anise, cinnamon and clove, and they stay soft and chewy for days. The mistake people make is baking until hard; they firm up as they cool. Chef's tip: take them out when they have puffed and the edges just feel set.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
- 9 oz panelagrated
- ¾ cup water
- 1 tsp aniseed
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 14 oz plain flour
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 pinch salt
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Simmer 9 oz panela, ¾ cup water, 1 tsp aniseed, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, ¼ tsp ground cloves and ½ tsp ground ginger in a small pan over a low heat for 5 minutes, stirring, until the panela has melted into a syrup. Cool until warm, then stir in ¼ cup vegetable oil.
10 minStep 2: Mix 14 oz plain flour, 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda and 1 pinch salt in a bowl, pour in the syrup and stir into a soft, slightly sticky dough. Rest for 10 minutes.
12 minStep 3: Heat the oven to 350°F and line 2 trays with baking paper. Roll the dough out 1 cm thick on a floured surface and cut 8 cm rounds; you should get about 16.
8 minStep 4: Bake for 12–14 minutes, until puffed and the edges are set but the centres still give slightly. Cool on the tray.
14 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 66 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does catalinas take?
- About 45 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- What can I use instead of aniseed?
- Fennel seeds, same amount (milder).
- What can I use instead of ground cinnamon?
- A cinnamon stick, ground: about ½ tsp per stick.
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