Have you ever tried any of the delicacies made by monks and nuns?

Marzipan, wine bread rolls, fruit delights, truffles, egg cakes, doughnuts, cream puffs, tejas (crunchy biscuits), and pastries with dried fruit or yemas (sweet egg yolks roll) are some of the sweets made in Spanish monasteries and convents.

Among the most well-known confections of Spain are some especially outstanding sweets such as the Yemas of Ávila, from the Santa Teresa de Jesús monastery; the sweets of the Clarisse Sisters in their convents all over the country; the Yemas of San Leandro, from the San Leandro convent in Seville; and the Sweets of the Conception, of the Santa Clara Convent in Alcázar de San Juan (Cáceres), among many others.

These are mainly traditional recipes with a sugar, flour and egg base that have been passed down over time and are still prepared by monks and nuns in a completely artisanal way.

According an old tradition, we’ve made a delicious cake in the style of ancient monasteries, which is called ‘Pastís de les Carmelites descalces’ or Fortune cake, as well. The process is slightly different from what we are used to nowadays. It takes 10 days!!!

Making a great natural yeast starter requires time and attention. You have to have to maintain it, which is not unlike having a pet, or, some might say a very low-mainenance child!

As the yeast starter is alive and growing which means it’ll increase in volume, after 10 days we were able to separate it into 3 cups .

According to an old tradition, we gave them to 3 friends, so they can also make the Fortune cake and it will bring good luck and fortune (hence the name ) to us and our friends!