Sweet pastries in Puerto Lumbreras

Postre-chino, Albóndigas and Torta de Pascua are all worth purchasing if you visit Puerto Lumbreras

Seeking out gastronomic treats and local specialities is an essential part of visiting any new town, and it’s always worth checking out the bakers to see if there are any delicacies which can be purchased to enjoy at home.

The inhabitants of Puerto Lumbreras, it transpires, have something of a sweet tooth, and there are several seasonal treats which can be acquired at different times of the year, made using ingredients influenced by local agriculture.

Almonds are central to many cakes and pastries, a crop grown on the dry, non-irrigated hillsides of the sierras of the municipality, which are ground, pulverised, chopped, toasted or roasted to use in many different ways:
These are the most commonly found local pastries in Puerto Lumbreras:

Albóndigas
Mention the word “albóndigas” to most Murcianos and they’ll immediately associate it not with pastries, but with caldo stock or tomato sauce, as albóndigas is a word used to describe meatballs which are sometimes cooked in a strong broth and served floating on the top (also called pelotas in some places), or served fried, often with a rich tomato sauce.

But in this case, the albóndigas are made from a sweet sponge base, filled with cream custard and rolled in sweet crunchy almonds, the final cake an elongated roll of almonds. They’re very sweet and filling, but ideal with a coffee and are a Puerto Lumbreras speciality.

Postre Chino

Postre chino is a cylindrical pastry, made with a base of two discs of puff pastry, filled with a cream custard filling. This is then coasted with meringue and rolled in almonds, the top of which is then toasted, and the pastry topped with a glacier cherry. It’s sweet, filling and luxurious!

Millefeuille

Slices of pastries made with puff pastry are also very popular, topped with caramel or chocolate.

Cordiales

These appear to be little montains of ground almonds and are a popular seasonal treat consumed in the autumn and festive season.

Their principal ingredient is ground almonds, which are then mixed with beaten egg, sugar and orange or lemon zest. These are then formed into little pyramids on rice paper and either filled with cabello de ángel ( a type of squash cooked down to a sweet and sticky consistency) or dulce de boniato(boniato is sweet potato), or left without a filling, before being baked until golden.

They’re delicious served with a little glass of sweet wine and are usually sold by weight.

Flores

These are a Spanish version of waffles, and are made using eggs, sugar, flour and lemon rind, formed in a mould and deep fried in oil. Decorated with honey, chocolate, cinnamon, or sugar, they’re a popular family treat.

Torta de Pascua

A typical pastry made using ground almonds and walnuts, mixed with flour, sugar, orange zest, yeast and ground aniseed. Topped with walnuts and pine nuts these are baked until golden. Although eaten throughout the year, it’s most common to see them in the shops in the run-up to the festive season.

The pastries shown in the image are from Pastelerías San Francisco, alongside the main church of Nuestra Señora del Rosario

Click for further information about the municipality of  Puerto Lumbreras.