Turrón de Doña Pepa

Instructions

1. 1

   Toast the anise seeds in a dry pan for 1 minute until fragrant. Simmer in 100ml of water for 10 minutes to extract the flavor. Strain and let the anise water cool.

2. 2

   Mix the flour, baking powder, and a pinch of salt. Cut in the softened butter until crumbly. Add the egg yolks, cooled anise water, sesame seeds, and vanilla. Knead into a firm, smooth dough. Rest for 20 minutes.

3. 3

   Roll pieces of dough into pencil-thick sticks about 15cm long. Place on a lined baking sheet and bake at 170°C (340°F) for 20-25 minutes until golden and firm. Let cool completely — the sticks should be crunchy.

4. 4

   Make the syrup: dissolve the chancaca in 500ml of water with cinnamon sticks, cloves, diced pineapple, and orange peel. Simmer for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thick, dark, and syrupy. Strain.

5. 5

   Arrange a layer of cookie sticks side by side on a flat tray. Drizzle generously with the warm chancaca syrup. Add another layer of sticks going the opposite direction. Repeat for 3-4 layers, drenching each layer.

6. 6

   Shower the top layer with colorful sprinkles while the syrup is still sticky. Let the turrón set for at least 2 hours at room temperature before cutting into portions. The syrup will bind the layers together.