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In addition to being considered one of the most beautiful towns in Spain, Olivenza is also known for one of its emblematic sweets, the Técula Mécula, very similar to the imperial almond cake -the favorite of Emperor Charles V-, which was forgotten. Its origin is claimed by a bakery in Olivenza, Casa Fuentes. According to the story, in the 1930s, an old woman found a trunk with an old recipe book in which this delicious cake was included. That woman was the grandmother of the owner of Casa Fuentes. Since then, this recipe has resurfaced and they even registered the trademark Técula Mécula. Its meaning is not entirely clear, but it has always been explained as “for you, for me”.
Técula Mécula Recipe
Ingredients:
- A two hundred and fifty gram sheet of puff pastry.
- For the syrup:
- 500 g sugar
- 250 ml of water
- For the filling:
- 9 egg yolks
- 1 egg
- 250 g ground almonds
- 2 tablespoons of lard
- 50 g flour
- Decoration:
- Melted chocolate
Preparation:
- First grease a mold with butter and line it with the puff pastry sheet.
- Next, prepare the syrup with water and the sugar to the point of strand. Let it cool and then add the beaten egg yolks and the egg. To this mixture, add the almonds, flour and lard -at room temperature-. Mix well until well blended.
- Fill the puff pastry and bake it in the oven at 160 ºC for about 45 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let it cool well. Finally, melt the chocolate and use a piping bag to write the word Técula Mécula.