Where it comes from
Cuevas del Almanzora area · also Vélez-Rubio
The mostachón is kneaded in December: half a kilo of ground almond, three beaten eggs, three quarters of a kilo of sifted sugar, lemon zest and cinnamon. The dough is shaped into balls the size of a walnut, slightly flattened on top, brushed with beaten egg white and baked gently until the surface shines and the almond stays tender inside.
It belongs to the Cuevas del Almanzora area, from the same Christmas family as the rollo de Pascua and almond mantecados: a baking tradition that keeps the Moorish legacy of honey or sugar, flour and almond almost intact. In Vélez-Rubio it also counts among the Christmas sweets, alongside the rollo de Pascua and the alfajores.
No confitería champions it: it is a home sweet, the kind made by the tray and given away on plates covered with a cloth. If December finds you in the area, ask around for it.
What it is made with
- Ground almonds
- Egg
- Sugar
- Lemon zest
- Cinnamon
- Egg white
Underlined ingredients link to Local produce.
How it is made at home
- Grind the almonds finely.
- Mix them with the beaten eggs, sifted sugar, lemon zest and cinnamon.
- Shape walnut-sized balls and flatten them slightly on top.
- Brush the tops with beaten egg white.
- Bake at low heat.