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Perrunillas
Perrunillas extremeñas: crumbly cinnamon and lemon cookies made with pork lard
Perrunillas are the cookies of Extremaduran grandmothers, baked in village ovens for Christmas, weddings and the days after the matanza, when fresh lard was plentiful. They are thick, pale and so short they crumble the moment you bite, with a crackly sugar top, and they are eaten with coffee or a glass of milk in the afternoon. This contains pork (pork lard), so they are not vegetarian. Chef's tip: beat the lard and sugar for a good few minutes until very pale and fluffy; that air is what makes them light.
- Total time
- 38 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 24
Ingredients
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan) and line two trays with baking paper.
10 minStep 2: Beat the 7 oz pork lard and 7 oz sugar together for 4–5 minutes until pale and fluffy. Beat in the 2 egg yolks, 1 tbsp lemon zest and 1 tsp ground cinnamon.
6 minStep 3: Sift in the 16 oz plain flour and 1 tsp baking powder and mix with your hand just until a soft dough comes together. A common mistake is kneading it: perrunillas should crumble, and overworked dough bakes tough.
3 minStep 4: Roll walnut-sized balls, set them on the trays and flatten each to about 1.5 cm thick. Press one of the 24 whole blanched almonds into the top of each if you like.
10 minStep 5: Brush with the beaten 1 egg and sprinkle with the 2 tbsp sugar.
3 minStep 6: Bake for 15–18 minutes until golden on top and lightly coloured underneath but still pale at the sides. They are soft when hot and firm up as they cool.
18 minStep 7: Cool on the tray for 10 minutes before moving them, as they break easily while warm. Store in a tin for up to 2 weeks.
10 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 170 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 21 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does perrunillas take?
- About 38 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 18 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 24 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- 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 sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of ground cinnamon?
- A cinnamon stick, ground: about ½ tsp per stick.
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