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FLAÓ, the most traditional cake from Eivissa Island

By May 22, 2013No Comments
It is so hard to choose between the two most popular sweet delicacies from the Balear Islands!!!
Flaó is the tastiest dessert to be found on the Eivissa and the other one comes from Mallorca: the extremely popular ensaimada, which comes in two varieties: plain or filled with pumpkin jam.
The ingredients needed to make flaó are flour, ‘Matafaluga’ aniseed, mint, cheese and sugar. If you wish, you can also add a little cinnamon.
Yoghurt, cream or other substitutes containing lactose should never be used, as these would adulterate the original recipe.
This delicious cake from Ibiza, which is traditionally eaten in Easter,  has both Arab and Catalan origins and it symbolises the culinary fusion of the two coastal civilisations. Historically the first recorded mention of these cakes is from 1252 and they are mentioned as well in Ramon Llull’s book Blanquerna, written in 1283.
flao3

 

 

 


FLAÓ EIVISSENC
Flaó cake from Eivissa Island

Ingredients (Serves 8)

for the sweet pastry:
125 g. of flour
75 g. of butter, melted
15 g. of almond flour
48 g. of powdered sugar
1/2 egg
Vanilla powder (a pinch)
Salt (a pinch)
Aniseed

for the filling:
250 g. of cottage cheese
2 large eggs
75 g. of sugar
10-15 mint leaves

Method

Mix the butter (at room temperature), almond flour, sugar, vanilla, half an egg beatten, aniseed and salt. Then add the flour and mix it well. Make a ball, wrap it in cling film and cool in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Then, spread the dough thinly in a round-rimmed baking tin dusted with some flour. Press it onto the bottom and up sides; trim the dough flush with top edge of the pan. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill at least half an hour.

Preheat the oven to 170 º C. Line tart shell with parchment paper, and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Prick bottom all over with a fork.

Bake until dough starts to feel firm on the edges, about 20 minutes. Remove parchment and weights; continue baking until crust is pale golden brown, about 10 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Leave oven on.

Prepare the filling by mixing gently with a whisk the cottage cheese, eggs, sugar and mint leaves finely chopped. Pour mixture into tart shell, with this preparation and cook in the oven (170 º C, bottom) for 30 minutes.