If we talk about a variety of Christmas sweets, tradition, years of work, and a long professional career, without a doubt, we cannot be referring to anything other than Estepa’s mantecados and polvorones. If this Sevillian municipality is characterized by something, it is because a large part of its industry is dedicated to the production and sale of these Christmas products. With more than 23 companies that manufacture polvorones in Estepa, this has been awarded as “the town of mantecado”, which since the end of summer has been working on the production of more than 20 kilos of mantecados, which generates more than 2000 jobs in a town with 12,0000 inhabitants and a turnover of around 70 million euros.
Cinnamon, sugar, butter, anjoli, the artisanal treatment, with more than 150 years behind it, has made this town a benchmark not only on the peninsula but also internationally within the field of the production of Christmas sweets. Manufactured since the end of the 19th century with the figure of La Colchona that, thanks to the surplus of lard from her husband, made the recipe for this product known: Mantecado as we call it in the South or Polvorón of Madrid to the North of Spain, It is a typical sweet that is not missing at home when December approaches, the cold, the Christmas lights and the Christmas carols.
Treated more like a tradition, of bringing the whole family together at the table to celebrate Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve dinner, it is a product that deserves to take maximum care of its symbolism as well as another of its main characteristics, its link with artisanal. For this reason, from Dulces La Ponderosa, we have been working with dedication and care on all our products since 1955, evolving in our production, but always respecting the recipes of yesteryear.
Protected by the quality seal of the IGP (Protected Geographical Indication), Regulatory Council of Mantecados de Estepa which guarantees compliance with a common standard for all products that are of the same variety, such as Estepa’s mantecados and polvorones. This non-profit control body dependent on the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Environment of the Junta de Andalucía has among its most important missions:
- Verify compliance by manufacturing companies with current regulations.
- Audit of the process and sampling
- Necessary documentation audit
Among the products that are protected under this legislation are the traditional cinnamon mantecados, artisans, coconut, almond, lemon, oil, alfajores, wine rolls … But more and more new products are opening their way that are more demanded as they are, in the case of Dulces La Ponderosa, dulce de leche chocolates, stuffed puff pastry, as well as special products such as mantecados without gluten or without sugar.
The pending subject of the mantecado had always been the export, although it is true every day more companies are dedicated to this sector that externalize their products, mainly international sales are made through the online stores of the brands themselves.
To get to know the product better, we recommend you take a look at our online store, as well as the history of our business We will be happy to answer all your questions as well as share with us our passion and dedication to our work.