Coca Cristina a chewy soft Valencian Christmas special almond cookie made with eggs, almonds, lemon zest and cinnamon goes well with cup of tea or coffee.
For this month Baking Partner’s challenge I asked my friend and fellow baking partner Marisa to suggest a recipe. She immediately told me that she will make something special from her home town and share it with us. Due to winter weather, sun is playing hide and seek, so my photography sessions are not happening as I wish. But this weekend it was sunny so I decide to make this delicious Coca Cristina/Valencian Almond cookie.
According to Marisa of Thermofan , Coca cristina is a typical sweet pastry baked in many villages in the province of Valencia, Spain during Christmas. Both, the ingredients and the name may vary from one place to another. In some areas, it is also known as "Coca d' ametló" as almond, "ametla" in Valencian, is the main ingredient of coca cristina. Traditional Valencian pastries have a notable Islam influence, so the use of almonds is plentiful in our recipes both sweet and savory.
It is baked over "neulas” (Baking wafers). It is because while baking these wafer papers will absorb the moisture.
It is simple and easy to make. It has whole eggs, almond meal, and sugar and lemon zest. Some recipes use little flour while others don’t. I didn’t use any flour for the recipe. Adding flour may help to give the cookie a little rise otherwise it will remain flat.
This Valencia special, Coca Cristina is sold in bakeries in villages, towns and in the city of Valencia. They are also baked in the family kitchens for special celebrations and especially at Christmas.
I found that this cookie is similar to Zimtsterne: Cinnamon Star Cookies except in the case that coca cristina uses whole eggs, whereas Zimtsterne: cinnamon star cookies uses only egg whites. This cookie is delicious and soft and chewy not crispy goes well with a cup of tea or coffee.
Separate egg whites and yolk beat egg white to stiff peak then incorporate yolk
Almond meal with lemon zest and cinnamon, which is later incorpated with egg white and yolk mixture and baked as 4 inch rounds .
Coca Cristina/ Valencian Almond Cookie
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 83.4 g of blanched almond flour/almond meal
- 86 g of caster sugar
- Lemon zest of half
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180ºC / 350ºF. Line the baking sheet with silicone mat and set aside.
- In bowl add almond meal, cinnamon, lemon zest and mix well and set aside.
- Separate the egg whites from the yolks and place the egg whites in a kitchen aid mixer bowl
- And beat them well when it becomes frothy
- Start adding sugar and beat until you get a stiff peak.
- When you tilt the bowl it shouldn't fall.
- To this gradually add lightly beaten egg yolks.
- And add almond meal, lemon zest, cinnamon mixture.
- Using a plastic spatula gradually fold in everything without disturbing the egg white too much.
- Divide the batter into six and place it in a parchment paper rounds of 4 inch circles like this.
- Make sure not to disturb the dough too much, even though it looks like mound before baking like this. It will become flat after baking.
- Bake it in a preheated oven for about 12 minutes or until the sides becomes brown in color and center is cooked.
- Let it cool over a rack.
- Store cocas cristinas tightly wrapped in room temperature for two or three days or in the freezer
Notes
Nutrition
Here is rest of to baking partners creations.
Coca cristina from Abhi's recipes
2This is Swathi ( Dr. Ambujom Saraswathy Ph.D) from Zesty South Indian Kitchen who loves to explore cuisines from all over the world. Whenever possible I try to to give an Indian touch to several of the world cuisine, and has weakness for freshly baked bread. All the recipes you see here are created by me and approved after taste-test by my family.
Hadia says
Such a wonderful almond dessert, Swathi. I love your detailed explanation in all your posts. Pinning and tweeting
Shobha Rawal says
new & interesting cookies.........looks so tempting.
Winnie says
These are fantastic cookies!! And they contain no flour, so they're perfect for Passover.
Saving the recipe! Thanks
Nalini Somayaji says
lovely almond cookies..One more feather on the cap..superb recipe..Swathi...
Sreelatha@ Framed Recipes says
These are delicious Swathi.
Ramya Venkat says
crunchy cookies and the preparation looks fabuluos
Meena Kumar says
Almond flavored cookies look yumm. Ur house must have smelled heavenly while baking them I am sure. How I wish I could join u for tea there!
Traditionallymodernfood says
Wat a grt way to give almond for kids . it a been a while since I was active in baking partner this recipe sounds interesting I will give a shoy
Hema says
Cookies look delicious and they are gluten free too..
Piyali says
Swathi the Valencian Almond Cookies look divine. With your perfect bakes you make baking sound so simple. The cookies are simply irresistable. A huge thank you to your friend Marisa for sharing this recipe of her native with us.
Katerina says
These cookies look delicious and I will tell you how small is the world, I have exactly the same dish with you! lol This is so funny!
Rafeeda says
Anything with almonds just makes me weak on the knees... lovely recipe this is!
Marisa says
Dear Swathi. Thanks a lot. It has been a pleasure to suggest the recipes. Just spreading the word and letting people know our traditions.
Coca cristina is delicious. It is not a cookie. The size is bigger.
Glad, you love it!
Cheers and goodnight from Valencia
Mayuri Patel says
interesting cookies and that too gluten free. Look so good.