Hello beautiful people from the community of Paulina Kitchen! Today we want to share a recipe with a lot of history, which comes from the lands of Galicia, Spain: the Santiago cake . No, it is not your cousin's cake, nor that of the neighbor's son, but a cake that bears that name in honor of the city where it originated, Santiago de Compostela.
This delight, which does not carry flour, recipe that only needs 4 ingredients and is enjoyed as a dessert or as a sweet cake to eat at tea time, with a coffee with milk, or with some rich mates if you are in Argentina.
In this note we tell you what this sweet cake is treated with your own name, we spend some data from your old story, something about the origin of your name and, as always, a recipe to prepare it at home.
Content table
On the Santiago cake
The Santiago cake is a typical dessert of the Galicia region, in the northwest of Spain. This traditional cake is made based on almonds, sugar, eggs and lemon zest, and is famous for having a wet, fluffy, soft and delicious texture.
Another interesting fact of this recipe, in addition to its history, is that it is prepared without wheat flour, so it is suitable for people with celiacch . The usual thing is to bake it in a round mold, and decorate it with icing (or impalpable) sugar. As detail, a design of the Cruz de Santiago , which is a religious symbol of the region.
It is believed that this cake, of medieval origin, originated in the monastery of St. Pelayo de Antealtares, in Santiago de Compostela, and that it was made for the pilgrims who arrived in the city after completing the Camino de Santiago.
Where does the name of the Santiago cake come from
The name of the Santiago cake is associated with the Camino de Santiago , a pilgrimage route that attracts thousands of visitors every year. This route travels through various cities and towns in Spain and France, with the aim of reaching the city of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, where the tomb of the apostle Santiago is located.
According to the legend, the cake originated in the 16th century , when a pilgrim who had finished the Camino de Santiago arrived in the city of Santiago de Compostela and the friars of the Franciscan Order offered him this cake. Since then, the cake has become an undisputed symbol of the region and has become popular throughout Spain.
Is there an inventor of the Santiago cake recipe?
Although it is not known with certainty who invented the recipe of the Santiago cake , it is believed that it was originally called "Royal Torta" and there are records of this recipe in the year 1577, when it was served for the first time to the pilgrims who arrived in Santiago de Compostela.
Some time later, between 1835 and 1838, some notes on the recipe appeared in the confectionery notebook of a confectioner in the region, called Luis Bartolomé de Leybar but, instead of almond cake or royal cake, he was named "almond cake . This notebook is still preserved in the Xeral Library of the University of Santiago
An original certified recipe
In 2006, the Santiago cake was registered as “Protected Geographic Indication” (PGI) , a certification granted by the European Union that protects and guarantees the quality and authenticity of food products, with specific characteristics related to its geographical origin and its elaboration.
The "Santiago Tarta" establishes the necessary characteristics and requirements for a cake to be considered authentic and original of Santiago de Compostela . Some of these requirements are: the use of ground almonds, egg, sugar and lemon, and the absence of ingredients such as flour, yeast or cinnamon.
What ingredients does the original Santiago cake recipe carry?
The original recipe of the Santiago cake is very simple and has remained virtually unchanged for centuries. As we said before, it is as simple as: ground almonds , sugar, eggs and lemon zest . The proportion of almonds and sugar is balanced, which gives the cake its characteristic sweet and aromatic taste. In addition, the lemon zest gives it a touch of freshness and perfume.
6 tips to achieve the best in Santiago Tart
Some tips for Santiago's cake to get perfect:
- First, it is important to use good quality almonds and grind them at home, to obtain a gentle and creamy texture.
- Respect the proportions of almonds and sugar, and add the lemon zest to give it a touch of freshness.
- Mix the ingredients well to achieve a homogeneous mass and prevent sinking during cooking. Remember that you don't wear any warehouse.
- Bake the cake at low temperature so that it is soft and wet.
- Let the cake cool before unmolding it
- To keep it for several days to save it in a hermetic container at room temperature.
Original Tarta de Santiago recipe
- Yield: 8 portions
- Preparation time : 1 hour
Ingredients
- 250 g of ground almonds
- 250 g of sugar
- 5 eggs
- 1 lemon zest
- Butter to spread the mold
How the Santiago cake is made
- Preheat the oven at 180 ° C. In a bowl, mix ground almonds with sugar.
- Add the eggs and the lemon zest, and mix well until you get a homogeneous mass.
- Spread a circular mold of 22 cm in diameter. Pour the mixture into the mold and smooth the surface with a spatula.
- Bake for about 30-35 minutes, until the surface is golden and the cake is firm to the touch.
- Let cool before unmolding and sprinkling with icing sugar before serving.
