Mantecadas de Astorga

Appearance & taste

Mantecadas are always baked in small, open, square cases of kraft paper. During baking the batter rises, becomes rounded on top without sharp edges and runs over the edge of the case: this is the “Lágrima de la mantecada”, the mantecada tear. It may be dark brown but not burnt; the base is lightly browned, also without being burnt. A mantecada weighs 25 to 35 g in its case.

The top is firm, golden brown and domed, with visible grains of sugar. The case comes away easily and does not look soaked with fat. Inside, the cake is soft and light, the crumb light beige to yellow depending on the butter and eggs. It tastes mainly sweet, clearly of butter and eggs, and the sugar on the surface can be felt when eating. The fat content gives a certain moistness in the mouth; the inside is soft and smooth on the palate.

Production

The batter consists of all-purpose wheat flour (about 30 %), hen’s eggs in the shell or pasteurised (about 23 %), fat in the form of dairy butter and lard (about 23 %) and white sugar (about 20 %). Honey, glucose syrup, dextrose, invert sugar or other sugars as well as butter flavouring, humectants, raising agents, emulsifiers and authorised preservatives may be added in smaller quantities.

The fat is whipped, eggs and sugar are beaten, then the batter is prepared, filled into the cases, sprinkled with sugar and baked at a medium temperature so that the mixture overflows and forms the tear. All these steps take place in the area. Packing takes place at the registered production plant in wooden boxes, tins or cartons. Each package carries a numbered certification label with the EU symbol, the name and the PGI’s own logo.

Origin & history

Mantecadas de Astorga are made and packed in the municipalities of Astorga, Brazuelo, San Justo de la Vega and Valderrey in the province of León. According to the specification, what distinguishes them above all from other Spanish sponge cakes such as bollos, bizcochos and magdalenas is the butter, which gives them their yellow colour and aroma. The recipe varies from baker to baker and is passed down from generation to generation. The “Cajilleras”, women who made the paper cases, contributed to their fame; a mural from 2016 in the walled old town of Astorga shows them, based on a photograph from 1927.

As a possible source of the recipe, the specification names the book “Arte de Repostería” by the court confectioner Juan de la Mata from the Kingdom of León, published in Madrid in 1747. Records in the archive of the Diocese of Astorga mention Mantecadas de Astorga as Christmas pastries in 1805. Numerous sources attribute the recipe to a nun from the Sancti Spiritus convent in Astorga who left the convent and made the pastry known. According to an almanac, there were twelve mantecada factories in Astorga in 1891, eleven in 1901 and nine producers in 1916. In 1930, 188,710 kg of mantecadas were transported by rail. Benito Pérez Galdós mentions them in his novel “Fortunata y Jacinta” (1886–87).