Almonds, marzipan and bienmesabe

Almond trees were introduced into the Canaries following the conquest of the archipelago, and have a deep-rooted history in Gran Canaria. They do not just form part of its natural land- scape (at summit regions and other large areas to the southeast of the island), its cultivation also has had deep roots in popular culture, (with fiestas held here at winter time when the trees are in bloom). It is a key component in the island’s sweet pastry-making, while also being a key ingredient in a range of meat and fish dishes. There are local professionals who dedicate their lives to the buying and selling of almonds, who describe this island’s almonds as being of great quality due to their sweeter flavour and higher levels of fat, making them ideal for desserts. It comes as no surprise that the summit municipality of Tejeda is famous for its baking industry, with marzipan and bienmesabe made in the purest artisan style.

Almonds also go into other sweet recipes including Canary nougat, typically sold by street sellers at fiestas and which have no connection to the Christmas-style nougats. They are the stars of traditional sweet-making in Gran Canaria, alongside marzipans and bienmesabes which are popular Christmas products. These are joined by yet more habitual and no less traditional fayre such as polvorones and mantecados, both also made with almonds from the island.

There has been a marked increase in the consumption of marzipan (a cake-shaped sugar, almond and lemon peel dessert which is baked after a few days of maturing in a raw state) and bienmesabe (with its creamy texture, ideal for accompanying an egg-flan or an ice-cream, obtained by mixing sugar and crushed almonds with egg yolk), and both are now eaten throughout the year, the former an afternoon accompaniment for coffee or infusion, the latter as a dessert in its own right.

Yuri Millares, December 2017