I first tried a Murcian cordial while living in Madrid. My Spanish roommate had come home from visiting his family in Murcia (southeast corner of Spain), and his grandmother had sent him back to the city with a large tin of cookies that he claimed were safe for me to eat, as they were naturally gluten free. Needless to say, they were deliciously addicting, and after moving back to the States a few years ago, I knew I needed to recreate them to help continue the Spanish Christmas traditions I had become so fond of. Traditionally the cookies are baked on a sheet of oblea, which is essentially a large sheet of wafer paper. The paper is difficult to find in the U.S., though some Hispanic markets carry it. The paper itself is not gluten free, so I personally need to avoid it. I find the cookies turn out just fine when baked on parchment paper, and I would assume a silpat would work well also. <br />Spanish supermarkets carry canned cabello de angel (candied spaghetti squash) during the holiday season, though it is next to impossible to find in the U.S. Making your own from scratch is incredibly easy though, and completely worth the effort. I suggest making the candied squash on the same day as the cookies, as they will hold their round shape better when the preserves are fresh. Prepare the squash first though, so that it has time to cool before adding to the dough. The candied squash will keep in the fridge for about a week, and a one time batch will make more than needed for the cookie recipe. Either save it for more cookies, or use it wherever you might use fruit preserves. <br />The candied spaghetti squash is based on this technique from Emeril Lagasse: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/spaghetti-squash-jam-recipe.html. <br />The cordiales recipe is adapted from this one, with extra advice provided by my friend's grandmother: http://gowithcuriosity.com/2010/12/20/christmas-cookies-fuensantas-almond-cordiales/

Share: