‘Polvoron’ or powdered milk caramel is one of the most popular and favorite Filipino sweet treats. A kind of Andalusian butter of Levantine origin, Polvorón is a round or oval sweet made from flour, sugar, butter, powdered milk and nuts. Various regional variants of the basic recipe are prepared locally in different areas of the Philippines. Some of the most popular variants include Polvoron with pinipig, Strawberry Polvoron, Cookies and Cream Polvoron, Dark Chocolate Covered Polvoron and Polvoron with Casuy. Nowadays, this sweet has also become popular as a “pasalubong” gift that is presented to friends and relatives staying abroad.
The Polvorón is not very difficult to make at home. Here is the traditional and original recipe for the same.
Ingredients/Materials:
• All-purpose flour: 4 cups
• Powdered milk: 2 cups
• Butter (melted): 1 ½ cups
• Finely granulated sugar: 2 cups
• Japanese paper/cellophane strip
• Polvorón shaper: regular/large/extra large size, according to your need
Preparation method:
1) Put four cups of flour in a pan and heat over medium heat for almost 15 minutes. Continue stirring constantly until the flour turns a light brown color. Do not stop stirring to prevent the flour from burning.
2) Once the flour is golden brown, turn off the heat and pour the flour into a large bowl.
3) Add milk powder to the bowl and mix well with the flour for 3-4 minutes.
4) Add the melted butter and finely granulated sugar and mix well, until the mixture becomes smooth.
5) Fill the mixture in the Polvorón mold and press hard with the help of a spoon. The mixture should be thick and firm. If it’s too loose, add more butter and olive oil until thick enough to allow you to take a shortbread out of the pan without it falling apart.
6) Place the Polvorón in an airtight container and refrigerate until hardened.
7) Once firm, wrap each Polvorón individually in Japanese paper or cellophane and store in the refrigerator.
The homemade Polvorón can be kept for a maximum of 7 days. You can also freeze them for longer storage. Wrapping them in colored paper and packing them in gift boxes or baskets can make a wonderful gift during the holiday seasons.
