Sweet things and milk are big in Catalunya – and they combine the two really well also!

Milky delights

One of our favourite foodie shops in Girona is La Recuiteria (“la rekweeteriya”). It is a small chain run by organic sheep farmers from Mas Marce in Catalunya (near Figueres). They sell milk, yoghurt, recuit (see the gallery above) and yoghurt ice cream to which you can add all sorts of fruity, nutty and terribly bad for you sweet things!

Sweet treats

Let’s start with the turrò (see next picture for turron) shop in Girona which specialises on artisanal ice cream.

The little white things in the packets on the top left and bottom right of the picture are sugar-coated pine nuts. On the top right is a very sweet but delicious confection called pa de Cadiz (bread from Cadiz) which is glace fruits in marzipan. It looks stunning and is used especially for celebrations (like Christmas and New Year).

The little round things wrapped in paper on the bottom of the picture are a type of biscuit called polverones (“polveroness”). They are very very short biscuits which fall into a sandy sweetness in your mouth.

Finally, on the bottom left is the famous turron (well one type anyway). More of this with the next picture…

Turrò – originally from Alicante where it is called turròn .

A confection made from ground almonds and honey and a great Christmas treat which is now available all year round.

If you like peanut butter, go for the sandy-coloured one that doesn’t look like nougat – it is basically almond butter and honey – yum! The white one is more like almond brittle.

There are so many variations on the recipe that the best thing you can do is find yourselves a turró shop and have a look!

Panellets – little cakes (actually made with potato, sugar and ground almonds but you wouldn’t know) used for festivities in Catalunya, traditionally in late autumn (the season for the pine nuts and almonds). They are round balls spiked with pine nuts – delicious.

The honey which, you can find in the market, is also delicious and totally natural. Keep an eye open for the more established producers and the locals who have the odd hive. There are so many flavours to try!

The classic Catalan desert is crema catalana which is known to others as creme Brulee.

Then there is flam or flan which is not a flan in the UK sense but creme caramel!

Biscuit is interesting as it is a slightly icy ice cream served with hot chocolate poured over it!

Mel i mato is a soft, creamy cheese with honey – again very Catalan. The one on the left is quite normal, but the one on the right is pretty posh!

And finally,  music is a dessert of dried fruit, nuts and sweet wine – very popular

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