The smell of broas de espécie is Christmas in Madeira condensed into one baking tray: sugarcane honey, cinnamon, cloves, citrus, and toasted nuts. They are darker and more aromatic than an ordinary spice cookie.
The dough is soft when mixed but firms as it rests. Shape the broas small; they are rich, and their crisp edges are part of the pleasure.
Broas de Espécie da Madeira (Madeiran Spiced Christmas Cookies) Recipe
What you need
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups (315 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon ground fennel or anise seed
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) Madeiran sugarcane honey or dark molasses
- 1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup (150 g) brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- Zest of 1 orange
- 1/2 cup (60 g) chopped walnuts
- Whole blanched almonds, for topping
Cook along
Instructions
- Whisk the flour, baking soda, spices, and salt in a bowl.
- Beat the butter and brown sugar until creamy. Beat in the egg, sugarcane honey, and orange zest.
- Stir in the dry ingredients and walnuts to make a soft dough. Cover and rest 30 minutes.
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Shape walnut-size pieces into small ovals, place on lined trays, and press a blanched almond into each.
- Bake 14 to 18 minutes until set and slightly darkened at the edges. Cool on the tray for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack.
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