The thick, crumbly cookies called polvorones are a basic item in even the smallest Mexican bakery. This recipe, a variation using peanuts, is from one of the earliest bilingual cookbooks, with the charmingly old-fashioned title Mexican Cookbook Devoted to American Homes.
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 1 1/3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup ground peanuts
- 1 cup shortening, grated into small pieces
Sift the flour into a mound and form a well in the center. In this, place the sugar, the ground peanuts, and grated shortening.
Blend these ingredients lightly and quickly to distribute them evenly.
Shape the dough into cylindrical rolls, slice, and roll each slice into a small ball.
Place on a cookie sheet and bake in a pre-heated 350º oven 8 to 10 minutes.
These cookies are often served at baptisms, first communions and other fiestas wrapped in fringed tissue paper.
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