It’s been over a month since I returned from my three-week
trip to Spain, and yet, the smells, flavors, and sounds of the rich country are
strong as ever in my memory. My boyfriend and I spent three weeks trekking
through Madrid, Andalucia, and Barcelona, making sure to immerse ourselves in
each city’s distinct culture before moving onto the next. We were floored by
the stunning architecture, touched by the unbelievably hospitable Spaniards,
and in constant awe of the iconic artwork that was pervasive throughout the country’s
museums. But most importantly, the food stood out as the epicenter of Spain’s rich
heritage and culture. I’ll be posting more photos from my Spain trip, but for
now, here’s a roundup of my favorite desserts from Spain.
Above: Perhaps my favorite dessert from the trip - the milhojas de turrón (back) from La Campana, the oldest pastry shop in Sevilla. It's reminiscient of a classic French mille feuille, but is far richer, thicker, and nuttier. It has notes of almond and condensed milk.
My boyfriend and I were blown away by the churros con chocolate at Cafe Fútbol in Granada. We've had our fair share of churros, but these were hands down, the fluffiest and crunchiest.
Above: We succumbed to the "cronut" craze and tried the sugary treat at Boldú in Barcelona. The lemon-poppy seed was a hit while the nutella flavor was just ok.
Below: One of the highlights from our trip was my boyfriend's birthday meal at Ferran Adría disciple Carles Abellán's Suculent in Barcelona. We capped off our dinner with a refreshing Yuzu sorbet and Brie cheesecake, which is one of the best desserts I've ever tasted.
Above: (Left) Raspberry spongecake on a stick at Carles Mampel's Bubo Born in Barcelona. (Right) Granada's light and subtly sweet take on a classic cheesecake.
Below: One of the best milhojas I've ever had - at Mallorca Market in Madrid.
Below: Ice Cream Roundup - We were impressed by three flavors, each from a different city. The mascarpone/dulce de leche/sunflower seed (left) in Sevilla was so delicious that we had it two days in a row. The violet (right) from Madrid's Mercado de San Miguel was a spin on a classic Spanish candy flavor based on an indigenous flower. The pistachio (below) from Granada's famed Los Italianos was one of the most natural tasting pistachio flavors I've ever tried.
