Step into just about any panadería in Nicaragua and you’re hit with the sweet smells of baked goodies. Cabinets and shelves loaded with golden edibles – some you may recognise, some you may not.

From the ubiquitous alfajor, plump bollo dulce filled with thick custard or chocolate, and nestled in amongst the dozens of other treats – a tray or bags of rosquillas.

Rosquillas come in a couple of forms; a simple loop or a flat disc topped with a burnished rubble of panela; an unrefined cane sugar. If you’re really lucky you just may come across one shaped into a flower, like the ones I’ve made here.

These cookies fit right into the shortbread category, thanks to their crumbly and granular texture. The difference is that it isn’t wheat flour or regular cornflour/corn starch that’s used to give it substance.

Instead, the main ingredient is masa, which is basically finely ground hominy; the same stuff that goes into corn tortillas. It’s this that gives the rosquilla its unique flavour and grainy texture; along with the earthy molasses flavour the loaf sugar brings.

The best way – or should I say the proper Nicaraguan way – to eat these is to float them in your cup of coffee for about 20 or 30 seconds. Preferably coffee from one of the nearby plantations, should you so happen to have one down the road from your place.

If only we all had that kind of luxury.

Recipe adapted from here

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Nicaraguan rosquillas

Shortbread cookies made using corn masa? These crumbly little Nicaraguan rosquillas are seriously addictive!

Course

Dessert

Cuisine

Nicaraguan

Servings

cookies

Ingredients

• 115 g unsalted butter softened
• 110 g caster sugar (¾ cup)
• 120 ml milk (½ cup)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 340 g masa harina (2 cups) see notes
• ¼ tsp salt
• 80 g brown loaf sugar shaved or chopped - see notes

Course Dessert Cuisine Nicaraguan Servings cookies Ingredients 115 g unsalted butter softened 110 g caster sugar (¾ cup) 120 ml milk (½ cup) 1 tsp vanilla extract 340 g masa harina (2 cups) see notes ¼ tsp salt 80 g brown loaf sugar shaved or chopped - see notes

Instructions

1. Cream the butter and caster sugar for a few minutes until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the milk and vanilla, then stir in the masa harina and salt until a dough forms. It may seem a little wet, but keep stirring or just let it sit for a few minutes so the masa harina has time to absorb the moisture.
2. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
3. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
4. Divide the dough into 20 pieces, or use a heaped tablespoon to portion it up. Roll each piece of dough into a ball and arrange them onto the lined baking tray, leaving an inch between them.
5. Take a glass or something with a flat bottom and press it gently on each ball of dough, flattening them to 1 centimetre thickness. Don't worry if they crack and split on the sides. Use your finger and press an indent in the centre of each flattened round of dough, then press more indents around the perimeter to form 'petals.'
6. Drop a small amount of chopped brown sugar onto the centre of each cookie, then bake them for 20-25 minutes, or until golden on the edges.
7. Cool completely on the tray before storing in a sealed container.

Recipe Notes

Masa harina may seem to have a fine texture, but it's still a little coarse for rosquillas. What I did was use my spice grinder to make it even finer, almost like regular wheat flour.

Brown loaf sugar is basically a solid block of unrefined cane sugar that's grated or chopped when needed. I used white jaggery for mine.

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