Where it comes from
Berja, Olula del Río and Cuevas del Almanzora · bollos de higo in Níjar
Pan de higo was born to keep the harvest: dried figs, chopped and kneaded with toasted almond, anise and sugar into a paste that is pressed into loaves or rounds and left to rest. A classic proportion: a kilo of figs, 200 g of toasted almonds, a glass of sweet anise and icing sugar. It is cut into thin slices and goes with the morning coffee or an afternoon snack.
It is a sweet of the Mediterranean area, perhaps of Arab origin, that does not belong to Almería alone. Here those of Berja, Olula del Río and Cuevas del Almanzora have a name, and in the Almanzora it counts among the home-made sweets. Níjar has its own version: Christmas fig buns, with ground figs, anise, sugar and toasted almonds.
It is made with the autumn figs and goes with Christmas, though it is found all year. No producer champions it: look for it in the markets and village shops of each comarca, and take one home; it keeps well and takes up no room.
What it is made with
Underlined ingredients link to Local produce.
How it is made at home
- Remove the stalks from the dried figs and chop them very finely.
- Toast the almonds and break them up.
- Knead the figs with the almonds, the anise and part of the sugar into a compact paste.
- Shape round loaves or cakes and dust with icing sugar.
- Press and leave to rest at least a day before cutting.