Want to try the very best of Spanish desserts? Start with these seven must-try sweet delights, they’re a real treat.
Spain is known for its tapas, but not so much for its desserts. And yet the country offers great culinary diversity and a wide range of sweet delights.
Pastries, creams, cakes… Every region has its own way of making the most of local produce.
The result of Mediterranean, Arab and Spanish influences, some desserts have crossed borders and are now familiar to everyone, like the famous churro.
But it would be a pity to settle for this pleasure – however good it may be. So here’s a selection of seven must-try desserts from Spain for a complete culinary experience.
1. The iconic churros
Do these delicious sticks of fried dough even need any further introduction? Everyone loves them for their slightly crispy outside and tender insides. Originally a breakfast food, they were served with a thick, creamy hot chocolate for dipping. Modern versions of churros can also be topped with cream or filled with chocolate.
In Spain, there are specialised churrerías specialized in making fresh churros. Their popularity has spread beyond Spain’s borders, and they can now be found in many countries, usually at funfairs.
2. The rich crema catalana
Crema catalana is a Spanish variant of the French crème brûlée, with the distinctive added tastes of cinnamon and lemon zest. It’s hard not to melt at the contrast between the caramelised sugar crust and the vanilla cream. The secret comes down to baking at a low temperature and cooking the sugar hard and fast (with a cooking blowtorch) to obtain that special crackling sugar crust.
3. The comfortingtarta de queso
The tarta de queso is a kind of Spanish cheesecake. It is made with fresh cheese, often queso crema, mixed with sugar, eggs and a hint of vanilla. The texture is particularly creamy, almost frothy, and the flavour is mild and slightly sweet.
This Spanish version of cheesecake generally has no crust, which makes the richness of the filling all the more important. Very popular throughout Spain, it is often served cold, sometimes decorated with fresh fruit or a berry coulis for a fruity touch.
4. The scrumptious tarta de Santiago
Tarta de Santiago is a pastry from the region of Galicia, in north-west Spain. This cake is made with almond flour, sugar and eggs, as well as butter or lard. What makes it so special? The cross of Saint James drawn on top with icing sugar. Although the cake’s recipe dates back to the 16th century, the cross was not added until 1924 by the bakery Casa de Mora as a decorative element.
Tarta de Santiago is often served with coffee or a local liqueur such as orujo (a brandy). It has been registered as a Protected Geographical Indication since 2006.
5. The crispy miguelitos
Miguelitos are authentic pastries from the town of La Roda in the autonomous community of Castilla-La Mancha in Spain. These are small, flaky custard-filled pastries sprinkled with icing sugar. Very popular at local festivals, they are also available in chocolate and white chocolate.
6. The creamy arroz con leche
Arroz con leche is a traditional Spanish dessert, simple yet comforting. This Spanish rice pudding is made with rice, as the name implies, but also milk, sugar and aromatics such as cinnamon and lemon zest. Each region of Spain has its own version, and in some areas, you even add a little milk, such as in Portugal.
7. The soft leche frita
Leche frita is a dessert scarcely found outside of Spanish borders. It’s made from milk, sugar, flour and egg yolk. And the recipe couldn’t be simpler! Simply mix the ingredients with a cinnamon stick, cook over a low heat, pour the mixture into a mould, leave to cool and cut into squares or rectangles. All that’s left to do is brush the pieces with flour and beaten egg, fry them and sprinkle with icing sugar and cinnamon. The result is a pastry with a melt-in-the-mouth texture on the inside, but golden and crispy on the outside.
