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Torticas de Morón
Lime shortbread
Torticas de Morón: lime-scented Cuban shortbread from the town of Morón
The town of Morón in Ciego de Ávila gave its name to these crumbly little cookies, which Cuban bakeries sell in paper bags and grandmothers keep in a tin for visitors with coffee. They are pale, short and melt quickly, with a clear scent of lime zest. The common mistake is overworking the dough or baking until brown, which makes them hard rather than sandy, so pull them out while they are only just golden underneath. Chef's tip: chill the rolled dough for 20 minutes before cutting; the edges stay sharp and the cookies don't spread.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 24
Ingredients
- 5 ½ oz buttersoftened
- 3 ½ oz sugar
- 2 tsp lime zestfinely grated
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 pinch salt
- 9 oz plain flour
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Beat 5 ½ oz butter and 3 ½ oz sugar for 3 minutes until pale and creamy. Beat in 2 tsp lime zest, 1 tbsp lime juice and 1 pinch salt.
3 minStep 2: Add 9 oz plain flour and mix with a spatula just until the dough comes together. Press into a disc, wrap and chill for 20 minutes.
22 minStep 3: Heat the oven to 350°F (300°F fan) and line two trays.
Step 4: Roll the dough 7 mm thick between two sheets of baking paper and cut 5 cm rounds, rerolling the scraps once. Prick each with a fork.
10 minStep 5: Bake for 13–15 minutes, until set and just golden at the base but still pale on top. Cool on the tray for 10 minutes before moving; they are fragile while warm.
15 minStep 6: Store in an airtight tin for up to a week.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 120 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 15 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does torticas de Morón take?
- About 35 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 24 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- 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 butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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