Monthly Newsletter - September 2008

Turrón de Doña Pepa

The soft and sweet turrón is a decadent nougat candy that has been around for over 500 years in Spain. A famous Christmas treat in the European country, the turrón’s origins are believed to be Moorish. However, local variations began to spring up all over Latin America as the Spaniards colonized the lands.

In Peru, the turrón has become synonymous with the month of October, the color purple, and Lima’s patron saint: El Señor de los Milagros (Lord of Miracles). The Peruvian turrón is known as Turrón de Doña Pepa named after Josefa Marmanillo, a colonial slave from the Cañete (a valley the lies 2 hours from Lima). Doña Pepa was freed by her master due to an acute paralysis that left her unable to work. Moved by the tales of the miraculous healing powers of Lima’s Lord of Miracles, Josefa traveled to Lima to partake in the procession of 1800. After only a day of the procession, she was astoundingly cured and suddenly regained use of her arms and hands. That night she had a vision that taught her to prepare the now famous dessert. In the next procession, she waited on a street corner for El Señor to go by and as he did she offered him the tasty treat as a symbol of her faith, love, and gratitude. When she returned to Cañete, she told all the townspeople how the Lord of Miracles had turned his head to her as he passed and with a big smile he thanked her and blessed the gift.

• 5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter, cold
• 3 egg yolks
• 5 tablespoons anise water
• 1 lb dark brown sugar (chancaca)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 orange rind (only orange part)
• 6 cloves

1. In a boiler, bring chancaca, water, orange rind and cloves to boil. Simmer for 40 minutes until mixture forms a soft ball when dropped in cold water or reaches 238° F (113° C) on a candy thermometer. Cool.
2. While the syrup is cooking, preheat oven to 350°F.
3. In a large bowl, mix salt into flour.
4. Cut butter into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender.
5. Add egg yolks and aniseed water. Knead dough until soft.
6. Take small portions of dough and roll, on a lightly floured surface, into sticks about 1/2 x 9 inches.
7. Transfer sticks to a greased baking sheet, placing them 1 inch apart.
8. Bake for 25 minutes or until lightly golden. Cool.
9. Place sticks on a serving dish, one beside the other, in one layer. Pour cold syrup on top. Place a second layer of sticks crosswise and pour syrup. Repeat a third layer and cover with the rest of syrup.
10. Decorate with sprinkles or dragees if desired.

By Stephanie Byrd

Source:
Baluart
Hermandad del Señor de los Milagros de Baltimore
Recipezaar

PAST NEWSLETTERS:

• Newsletter August 2008
• Newsletter July 2008
• Newsletter June 2008
• Newsletter May 2008
• Newsletter April 2008
• Newsletter February 2008
• Newsletter January 2008