The children of the South American country of Guatemala get visits from Santa. On December 25th, the kiddies get presents and candy just like a lot of countries do. For this nation, their Santa isn't very different from ours in the United States. For the children and families of Guatemala, a visit from Santa on December 25th is not such a big deal. Instead, the most important day of their holiday season is December 7th.
Hey, today is December 7th. What are the odds? Why don't we see what's so important about today for the people of Guatemala?
La Quema del Diablo means 'the burning of the devil.' It's an event in preparation for the feast of the Immaculate Conception which starts on December 8th. The idea is to eliminate all the evil and bad luck from your life. So the entire family will spend the day dusting their homes. The refuse is then placed inside a devil shaped pinata.
At 6pm sharp, the pinatas are torched. As the diablos roast, the families enjoy themselves during a night long street festival full of music, fun and games.
The big food for this day is tamales. Tubes of corn meal filled with meat and cheeses, covered in a spicy tomato sauce. Oh my God. I'm making myself hungry. I think I am going to eat some now.
But before I go, here's today's cookie recipe. I present to you Champurradas, Guatemalan Sesame Seed Cookies.
Enjoy.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1/2 cup Masa Flour (corn flour)
- 1/4 cup Piloncillo Sugar (see recipe notes for substitute)
- 1/2 cup White Granulated Sugar
- 2 tsp Baking Powder
- 8 tbsp Unsalted Butter (at room temperature)
- 2 tbsp Vegetable Shortening (such as Crisco)
- 1 pinch Salt
- 3 Eggs, Divided (at room temperature)
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 4 tbsp White Sesame Seeds
Instructions
In a large mixing bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir to combine.
Add the butter, shortening, 2 eggs, and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients. Beat on medium with an electric beater until all the ingredients are combined and a dough is formed. If needed use your hands to knead the dough slightly to help the mixture form a ball.
Chill dough for 15 minutes in the refrigerator.
Preheat the oven at 350 degrees F.
Roll out until thin (around 1/8 inch thick) on a floured surface. Each cookie should be between 2.5 and three inches in diameter. Cut into circles and transfer to a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a greased cookie sheet.
Place on the baking sheet. Space the cookies about two inches apart.
In a small bowl, create an egg wash by combining the remaining egg with a tablespoon of cold water. Whisk until pale yellow and frothy.
Use a pastry brush to brush the tops of the cookies evenly with the beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Bake until the cookies are golden brown but still tender to the touch, around 15-18 minutes. Transfer baked cookies to a wire rack and let cool completely.
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