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How to make a MÚDEJAR BRAID?
The braided Mudejar is a traditional sweet of Spanish gastronomy, especially associated with the region of Castile and Leon, although it is very popular in Aragon. It is characterized by its braided shape and spongy texture.
This sweet is mainly made with bread or brioche dough, which includes ingredients such as flour, sugar, eggs and butter. A touch of anise or cinnamon is often added to enhance its flavor.
Its most distinctive feature is its braided shape, which not only makes it visually attractive, but also contributes to its soft and spongy texture. It can be filled with various ingredients, such as cream, chocolate or fruit, although the most classic version has an almond filling.
The braided Mudejar has roots in the time of the Mudejars, Muslims who remained in the Iberian Peninsula after the Reconquista. The recipe has endured over time, becoming part of Spanish gastronomic culture.
It is usually enjoyed as a snack or at celebrations, accompanied by coffee or tea. The braided Mudejar is a perfect example of the fusion of cultural influences in Spanish cuisine and is highly appreciated for its flavour and history.
ingredients
If you have never cooked a real Mudejar braid, we will show you how to make it easily. This typical sweet in Aragon, more specifically from Teruel, is a real delight, so we encourage you to try to recreate it with the recipe that we leave you below:
For the dough
- 125 g of strong flour
- 125 g of wheat flour
- 10 g of salt
- 50 g of white sugar
- 15 g of butter
- 125 ml of water
- 5 g of dry yeast
- 110 g of butter
For the yolk filling
- 8 egg yolks
- 75 g white sugar
- 50 ml water
- 50 g sliced almonds
- 50 g chopped walnuts
- 50 g raisins
For the icing
- 80 gr of icing sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons of water
Elaboration
First steps
We will start by preparing the dough for the braid. To do this, we put all the dough ingredients in a bowl and knead them for 10 minutes until we obtain a smooth dough. We let it rest for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile we prepare the butter for the lamination. We cut 110 grams of butter and put it on a piece of greaseproof paper forming a square. We close the paper and smooth it with a rolling pin until it has a uniform thickness. We put it in the fridge.
After 30 minutes of resting the dough, we stretch it into a rectangle. We place the butter plate that we had prepared in the centre of the dough and close the dough on it.
Next we are going to fold the dough several times to get it to shape. We fold it in three parts and stretch it again until we have a rectangle. We fold it again and stretch it again. Finally, we fold it in three parts and wrap it in transparent film. We keep it in the fridge for 30 minutes.
We finish the recipe
We continue with the preparation of the yolk. To do this, put 8 yolks in a saucepan together with 75 grams of white sugar and 50 milliliters of water. Mix very well and put it on low heat, stir until it thickens.
Remove, cover with cling film and let it cool.
Once it cools, stretch the dough again and spread the entire yolk over it.
Put 50 grams of flaked almonds, 50 grams of chopped walnuts and 50 grams of raisins on the yolk. Roll the dough and press well so that the nuts stick well to the yolk.
Cut the dough lengthwise in half. Braid the dough by rolling the two halves. Place it on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Cover it with cling film and let it rise for 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 180º and bake for 30 minutes until golden.
Finally, prepare the glaze with 80 grams of icing sugar and 1 or 2 tablespoons of water. Glaze the braid while it is still hot and let it dry and enjoy!
