Filipino Shortbread Recipe – A shortbread can mean many things. They can be a soft and crumbly biscuit that pairs with tea or coffee or a crisp and sweet snack. Among the different types of shortbread, you can try, is one popular Filipino snack known as polvoron. Polvoron is a type of shortbread made of flour, sugar, milk, and nuts with a heavy, soft, and very crumbly consistency. While the shortbread has origins in Spain, it is one of many popular snacks you can enjoy in Filipino cuisine.
Compared to the Spanish version of the snack, Filipino polvoron uses a large amount of powdered milk that is left to dry. It also has toasted flour, sugar, and butter or margarine instead of lard. Another thing that makes this shortbread great is how it can come in multiple flavors. These flavors include cashew, cookies and cream, and ube. Polvoron is rather easy to make and for a classic flavor, you can try this Filipino Shortbread Recipe:
Polvoron
Ingredients
- 4 cups all purpose flour
- 2 cups powdered milk
- 3/4 cup pinipig (pounded and toasted young green rice, similar to crisped rice, crushed)
- 1 1/8 cup butter (softened)
- 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- Heat a frying pan or a wok then add the flour. Toast the flour until you get an aroma and the color turns light brown. Stir occasionally while toasting to prevent the flour from being burnt.
- Once the flour is toasted, let it cool down for about 20 minutes then transfer to a mixing bowl.
- Add the powdered milk then stir using a balloon whisk.
- Pour the granulated sugar then stir again.
- Add the crushed pinipig then stir until the ingredients are well combined.
- Pour the softened butter into the mixture and mix well. You can also use your clean hands in doing the procedure.
- Once all the ingredients are well mixed, let the mixture stand for at least ten minutes until the butter is cooled. This will allow the mixture to be more malleable.
- Scoop the mixture using a polvoron molder and place the shaped mixture on a pre-cut Japanese paper or cellophane then wrap the molded polvoron.
- Stack them on a plate and serve.
Other Notes for a Filipino Shortbread Recipe
While Filipino Polvoron is generally enjoyed plain, there are also other flavors to try. A classic variation of polvoron is one with pounded and toasted young green rice, similar to crisped rice. Another popular flavor you can add to polvoron is ube. If you want to go for more fun flavors, you can check out recipes for cookies and cream polvoron or polvoron covered in chocolate. If you were to compare Filpino polvoron to polvoron from Spain, Filipino polvoron is open for more flavors and has a denser consistency.
You’ll find that polvoron is a popular snack you can purchase at different local bakeries and shops as a souvenir. If you want to try out other Filipino snacks, check out our “Filipino Cheese Cupcake Recipe” and “Cassava Cake Recipe.”
