If something is really important when making ice cream it is your rigorous work process, Although at first glance it does not seem really complex, it requires a series of steps to follow, whose artisan component and handwork play a fundamental role. Next we tell you how we make mantecados in La Ponderosa sweets:

The first thing we are going to start with before commenting on the steps to follow are the secret ingredients that make traditional mantecados a taste for the most demanding palates. As basic ingredients you need sugar, flour, lard, almonds and cinnamon. Because we have more products, such as specialties, in the case of these other ingredients are added, but the basic ones are those mentioned above.

Once we are clear now if, the ingredients with which we work, we go on to detail the fabrication process of these products. It should be noted that this work process is fully controlled by the Estepa Mantecados Regulatory Council, which prints a series of rules to be met in the preparation of mantecado:

1. Reception of raw materials: Once we receive the raw materials in our factory, they are subjected to the pertinent analyzes, as well as some ingredients are subjected to a previous conditioning. In the case of almonds, it is roasted, the flour undergoes a drying procedure that allows the starch to unfold and remove all impurities and the sugar is ground with the aim of being converted into icing sugar.
2. Kneading and baking: The ingredients, butter, sugar, aroma and finally the toasted flour are introduced into the mixers until a homogeneous product is left, with a suitable texture. Kneading is usually done in machines, but the last touch can also be done manually to give the ice cream the most traditional shape. Once we have the dough, the next step is to bake it, which reaches 220 degrees, the key to this step is to do it in wood-fired ovens, not in industrial ovens.
3. Cooling of the products: It is important to let the dough cool for one or two days until it reaches at least room temperature.
4. Packing: The packaging process is also really important, many of our mantecados are hand-rolled and packed, which gives that more traditional character. In addition, the tissue paper where they are wrapped also has characteristics to prevent the product from breaking due to its fragility.

A work process that begins each year at the end of summer to prepare the production for the next Christmas season, and that despite using the help of machinery for its greater efficiency always has a part made by hand that prints that character of the tradition.