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Turrón de Doña Pepa
Anise biscuit sticks in spiced syrup
Turrón de Doña Pepa: Lima's October sweet of anise biscuit sticks layered with fruit-spiced chancaca syrup
PeruvianEvery October, the month of the Señor de los Milagros processions in Lima, bakeries and street sellers pile their trays with turrón de Doña Pepa: layers of crumbly anise-flavoured sticks drenched in a dark syrup of chancaca cooked with fruit and spices, topped with a storm of coloured sprinkles. Popular lore credits it to Josefa Marmanillo, a woman from the Cañete valley who is said to have made it in thanks after the procession. It is sticky, crunchy and soft at once, with orange and clove in the syrup. Its downfall is usually runny syrup that soaks the sticks into mush; it needs to reach a thick, threading stage before it goes on. Chancaca is sold as cones or blocks in Latin shops; panela or dark muscovado also work. Some coloured sprinkles contain gelatin, so check the label. Chef's tip: make it a day ahead; the syrup sets and the sticks soften just enough to slice neatly.
- Total time
- 120 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
For the anise sticks
- 1 tbsp aniseed
- ½ cup waterfor the anise infusion
- 1 ⅛ lb plain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp sesame seedstoasted
- 7 oz buttersoftened
For the fruit syrup
To decorate
- 2 ⅛ oz coloured sugar sprinklesgelatin-free
- 1 ⅜ oz small soft fruit candies (optional)gelatin-free, chopped
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Boil 1 tbsp aniseed with ½ cup water for 5 minutes, then strain and cool the anise water. You need about 90 ml.
10 minStep 2: Mix 1 ⅛ lb plain flour, 1 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp salt and 1 tbsp sesame seeds in a bowl. Add 7 oz butter and 4 egg yolks and rub together, then pour in the anise water and knead briefly into a soft, smooth dough. Rest for 15 minutes.
15 minStep 3: Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan). Roll pieces of dough into sticks as thick as your finger and 25 cm long, and lay them on lined trays.
Step 4: Bake until firm and pale gold underneath, 15–20 minutes. Cool on the trays.
20 minStep 5: For the syrup, put 1 ⅛ lb chancaca, 5 ½ oz sugar, 2 ½ cups water, 1 orange, 1 apple, 5 ½ oz pineapple, 2 cinnamon sticks, 6 cloves and 4 allspice berries in a pan and simmer over a medium heat until the chancaca melts and the fruit softens, 15 minutes.
15 minStep 6: Strain the syrup into a clean pan, pressing the fruit. Boil until it thickens and a drop between finger and thumb (cooled first) pulls into a short thread, about 225°F, 15–20 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes.
25 minStep 7: Lay a third of the sticks side by side in a 20 × 30 cm dish and spoon over a third of the syrup. Add a second layer of sticks crossways and more syrup, then a final layer and the last of the syrup.
Step 8: While the top is still sticky, scatter 2 ⅛ oz coloured sugar sprinkles and 1 ⅜ oz small soft fruit candies over the whole surface. Leave to set for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight, then cut into squares.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 480 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 80 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does turrón de Doña Pepa take?
- About 120 minutes in total: 45 minutes to prepare and 75 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of aniseed?
- Fennel seeds, same amount (milder).
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
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