Dan Lepard's recipes for Basque tea-time treats | Baking (2024)

Afternoon tea pastries ("pastas de té") are typically simple in flavour – butter, vanilla, chocolate and almond, say. There are, of course, French influences, but these have less to do with Parisian finery than with the gutsier Pays Basque. In San Sebastián, piped butter biscuits look homely even in the grandest bakeries, while crusty, thick almond tiles ("tejas de almendra") have been my late-night TV snack ofchoice. As a farewell to my Basque baking series, here are two recipes to keep your afternoons (andevenings) sweet.

All-butter tea biscuits

An utterly simple biscuit that bakes rather quickly. It's the classic biscuit for afternoon tea in Donostia (the city's Basque name) and usually bought from pastry shops, but it's not too fiddly to make well at home.

In a large bowl, beat the butter, sugar and zest until very light and fluffy, then beat in the egg and yolk until very light and pale. Sift the flour into another bowl, then very gently mix it into the butter bowl until barely combined. Line a baking tray with nonstick paper and heat the oven to 210C (190C fan-assisted)/410F/gas mark 6½. Get a large piping bag fitted with a star nozzle, and secure the paper to the tray with a dab of the biscuit mix in each corner under the paper. Pipe various small shapes, from horseshoes to swirls, dot each biscuit with a piece or two of candied fruit, then bake for 15 minutes, until beginning to colour.

Drop the heat to about 180c (160C fan-assisted)/350F/gas mark 4 and bake for 10-15 minutes more, until crisp and golden. Leave to cool on the tray, then, when cold, dip the ends or sides of your cookies in melted chocolate (or, if it's easier, drizzle with melted chocolate).

Tejas, or almond tiles

These should have a slightly firm texture and little delicacy about them. Delicious after dinner served with vanilla or coffee ice-cream doused in Pedro Ximénez sherry.

325g lightly toasted flaked almonds, plus extra todecorate
75g plain flour
4 medium eggs
325g caster sugar

Depending on the size of your oven, you may have to cook these in batches. With a spoon, scoop small mounds of the mixture on to the prepared tray, spacing them about 5-8cm apart because they'll spread. Dot each with a few reserved almonds and bake for up to 15 minutes, until golden at the edges, pale and set in the middle, and just beginning to crisp. Remove from the oven, leave to set for a minute, then, with the spatula, lift from the tray and press against the curve of the rolling pin to cool while you bake the rest.

danlepard.com/guardian