Mantecaditos
Almond shortbread with guava
Puerto Rican almond shortbread with guava
During the long Puerto Rican Christmas season, which runs from Thanksgiving to the fiestas de la calle San Sebastián in mid-January, trays of mantecaditos appear at every parranda and family visit. They are small, eggless shortbread balls scented with almond extract, pressed with a thumb and filled with a cube of sticky, ruby guava paste. They crumble in one bite, rich with butter, and the tart guava cuts the sweetness. Serve them with a cafecito, or a glass of milk for the children. Warm dough is what makes them spread into flat puddles, so chill the shaped balls before they go in. Chef's tip: cut the guava paste with a knife dipped in hot water, and press it into the hollow only after chilling so it stays neatly in place.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 18
Ingredients
For the shortbread
- 8 oz unsalted buttersoftened
- 3 ½ oz caster sugar
- 1 tsp almond extract
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 10 oz plain flour
- ¼ tsp salt
For the filling
- 2 ⅞ oz guava pastecut into 1 cm cubes
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Beat 8 oz unsalted butter and 3 ½ oz caster sugar until pale and creamy, about 3 minutes. Beat in 1 tsp almond extract and ½ tsp vanilla extract.
3 minStep 2: Add 10 oz plain flour and ¼ tsp salt and mix on low speed, or with a spoon, until a smooth dough forms.
Step 3: Roll into 2.5 cm balls (about 15 g) and set them 4 cm apart on lined trays. Press a deep hollow into each with your thumb or the end of a wooden spoon.
10 minStep 4: Chill the trays for 20 minutes. Meanwhile heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan).
20 minStep 5: Press a cube of 2 ⅞ oz guava paste into each hollow.
Step 6: Bake for 14–16 minutes, until the cookies are firm at the edges, still soft in the middle, pale on top and just golden on the bases.
15 minStep 7: Cool on the trays for 10 minutes before moving; they are too soft to lift when hot. Keep in a tin for a week.
10 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 175 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 20 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does mantecaditos take?
- About 45 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 18 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of unsalted butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
- What can I use instead of caster sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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