Coca de llanda (olive oil lemon cake), a Valencian merienda, after-school snack

April 14, 2023

Natacha Sanz Caballero

Breads, Desserts and Sweets
afternoon snack, breakfast, merienda, olive oil cake, Valencian delicacies

Coca de llanda is without doubt one of the hottest after-school snacks within the area of Valencia houses, what we name “la merienda”.

A stroll within the neighborhood after la merienda

La merienda —merendar— is that mid afternoon “tentenpié”, a chew to eat between lunch and dinner, generally candy, generally savory, a easy however tasty candy cake or a chunk of baguette bursting with slices of jamón, chorizo or salchichón, Spanish meats and chilly cuts, or squares of chocolate with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt. La merienda is an endearing Spanish idiosyncrasy.

Coca de llanda is an easy cake that requires only some elements. The result’s a spongy, lemony cake, with a attribute sugar crust that makes it irresistible. It’s a favourite amongst kids and adults alike, often eaten accompanied by a great espresso or a cup of scorching chocolate. I keep in mind the aroma of the just-out-of-the-oven baked cake wafting by way of the home, making its manner out as my mother opened the door after we got here house from faculty. We’d run to the kitchen, famished after a day of less-than-par cafeteria faculty lunch, and devour it. Lately I could eat it with extra moderation, prefering to have a chunk with my morning espresso.

I all the time go to Mari Carmen at her churros truck

Mari Carmen and her husband have managed the churros truck for many years

One other technology, a distinct sort of merienda

My niece and nephew bake and revel in their very own

What does its identify, coca de llanda, imply?

The identify coca de llanda describes the cake and the place it’s made, if solely you’re acquainted with the Valencian language. Coca is the final identify given to desserts in that area of Spain, often rectangular in form. Cocas may be candy or savory, as within the coca de pimiento, atún y tomate, pepper, tuna and tomato coca, a scrumptious dish to share that, to the unknowing eye, could appear like a pizza, however it’s nothing of the like. If something, it is a Valencian one, rectangular in form, with no cheese, and ideally eaten at room temperature —come to think about it, its recipe will not be on this weblog but, and it needs to be.

As for the phrase llanda, it means tin within the Valencian language, and it’s the everyday ovenproof tin pan the place the coca is made, rectangular in form, and of 1 1/2 to 2 inches in peak.

Churros for la merienda, afternoon snack? Completely!

There’s time to admire the breathtaking sundown on a leisure stroll after la merienda

Heading house

The elements

There are slight variations to the elements in coca de llanda. For example, some individuals use milk as a substitute of yogurt, and a few others add a little bit of cinnamon to the recipe, however for essentially the most half, the ensuing desserts are very related.

One ingredient, although, is all the time frequent: olive oil. Like many Spanish desserts, coca de llanda makes use of olive oil as a substitute of butter because the fats ingredient. Which brings me to an attention-grabbing puzzling phenomenon I began seeing in social media and cooking magazines throughout the previous few months: the overwhelming variety of recipes with “olive oil cake“ of their title. As a eager cook dinner and baker, I used to be intrigued by it, solely to search out out that they referred to desserts incorporating olive oil as a substitute of butter. The Spanish manner!

Easter merienda contains mona de Pascua, Easter candy bread

The chocolate is all the time eaten first!

In Spain, olive oils are categorized in keeping with their acidity. 1% acidity olive oil is the extra-virgin olive oil, obtained from the primary press of the olives, and which is often eaten as is, uncooked, for dipping or in dressings, however by no means cooked with. The 0.4% acidity olive oil can be utilized for cooking and likewise in dressings. After which there’s the lighter and fewer acidic 0.1% olive oil. That is the one I like to make use of in pastry. In america, olive oils usually are not categorized that manner, so I’ll use a lightweight olive oil for baking. That’s the one I utilized in coca de llanda, however as with many recipes, you may experiment with the completely different oils and see which one you like.

(NOTE: for extra on olive oil, test right here)

I loved many meriendas on this bench at my grandma’s home

For right now’s recipe, I needed to alter a number of the elements, as a number of the Spanish ones required within the authentic recipe are exhausting to search out (particularly levadura Royal, which I changed with baking powder and baking soda). However in case you’re in Spain or can discover levadura Royal, by all means, comply with the unique Valencian recipe and use it.

I accompany this publish with completely different “merienda” moments in Spain from final summer time —quickly sufficient I’ll be capable of relive them!