Savor Spain

In the Roman calendar, 24th June was the date of the summer solstice and the Christian church establish the eve as the feast day of Saint John the Baptist. Nowadays we know the Summer solstice is earlier, either 20th, 21st or 22nd of June and will be the day with the longest period of daylight during the year.

In Spain we celebrate the eve, 23rd June night, as “Saint John´s night” and we use it as a excuse to bring your friends to the beach, set a bonfire and spend the whole night as a party around the fire. It´s also a tradition, at least in the east coast of jumping 12 times the sea waves at midnight

Although it´s celebrated around the whole Spain, it´s in Alicante where is the biggest main event with celebrations similar to Fallas in Valencia.

And because we can´t conceive party without food, here´s the recipe for the traditional Coca de San Juan typical from Cataluña region and very easy to prepare at home.

Ingredients for the thick Custard for 12 pax:

• 240 ml whole milk
• 1/2 vanilla pod (or vanilla essence)
• 2 egg yolks
• 65 gr sugar
• 35 gr corn flour or Maizena

Elaboration for the thick Custard:

1. Get a bit of the milk to dilute the corn flour in a glass or bowl before anything.
2. Get the rest of the milk in a pot, open and scratch the vanilla pod and bring to heat, without boiling.
3. In a bowl, mix the egg yolks with the sugar. Pour the warm milk into it, carefully do not get burn. Remove the piece of vanilla pod.
4. Add the milk + corn flour. Mix all together and put it all back in the pot.
5. Heat on, stirring all the time with spatula, heat up until it gets thick. If you have a thermometer, make sure doesn´t cook more than 82C.
6. Transfer to a tray, cover with clingwrap and put it in your chiller and let the custard cool down and set. Once it´s cold, transfer to a piping bag.

Ingredients for the Coca Dough for 12 pax:

• 280 gr flour for pastry
• 60 ml whole milk
• 15 gr fresh yeast
• 5 gr salt
• 40 gr sugar
• 2 egg
• 40 gr unsalted butter (room temperature)
• 20 gr pine nuts

Elaboration for the Coca Dough:

1. Combine the flour, milk, yeast, salt, sugar and eggs in a bowl and start mixing. We can do it by hand or with any mixer with the hook accessory. Once the dough it´s smooth (about 5 minutes after with a mixer), add the butter and keep mixing for a couple of minutes.
2. Transfer the dough to a clean bowl, cover it with a clean cloth and let it rest and proof until it doubles the size. 1 to 2 hours.
3. After this time, transfer to a clean working surface, press with your hands and let the air go through. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes.
4. Stretch the dough to make it thin, with a rolling pin, like a pizza of 1 cm thick. Transfer to a tray with baking paper underneath.
5. With a knife, make some thin cuts in rhombus-diamond shape and, carefully, add your custard over this cuts. Sprinkle the pine nuts over the dough.
6. Let it proof in the same tray until it doubles the size again while you preheat your oven at 200C.
7. Once it´s big enough, bake at 190C for 30 minutes.
8. Enjoy!