Sunday, March 8, 2009

#88_Polvoron

Polvoron is one the many favorite confections in the Philippines.
They are buttery, fragile and literally melt-in-your-mouth powdered candies.
They are usually wrapped in papel de hapon, (Japanese paper) a kind of paper that are also used in making kites and dressing up Christmas lanterns or parol. Since I don't have access to that kind of paper, I used the tissue paper that are used for gift bags.
They work so well and the colors are wonderful. I
love them!!
Typically the ends of the wrappers are twisted up but my mother always tucked them under. So that's what I do.
Cut the wrapping papers to 5" x 6 1/2" squares.


Polvoron has only 4 basic ingredients:


Here are the ingredients:

3 cups all purpose flour
2 cups powdered skim milk
2 cups white sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened but not melted

My mother used to make these with
Star margarine back home instead of butter. I wonder if they still have Star margarine over there?

The key to a flavorful polvoron is toasting the flour which is the most tedious part of the process. The rest of the procedure is really easy.

How to toast the flour:
Place the flour in a dry (no oil) skillet or wok, over medium heat. Constantly stir the flour for about 20 minutes until it is lightly browned. Let it cool a bit.

To the toasted flour add in the sugar and the powdered milk. Mix them all together, then strain using a fine sieve to get rid of lumps. To the strained mixture, add in the softened butter and mix thoroughly using your 2 hands. If you want to add pinipig (rice crispies) or ground peanuts, this is the best time to mix them in.


This Polvoron Mold
is retractable so it is a breeze to unmold them.
The moulds come in different sizes and shapes like oval or heart shapes, etc.


Fill the polvoron mould with the mixture and press it down onto a flat and very smooth surface like a plate, moving it in a circular motion as you press down, and make sure that the molded polvoron is compressed so they will not crumble easily.
Refrigerate shaped polvoron for at least 2 hours before wrapping them.


Moulded polvoron ready to be wrapped.


This recipe yields 40 pieces using the 5/8 inch thick mould,
unless you keep putting some in your mouth as you wrap them, like I do...
I think everybody does that because it is
very temptingly and irresistibly sweet!!!



NOTES:
1) If you want to add some peanut, make sure to use the toasted, unsalted ones and crush them using mortar and pestle.
2) Somebody had mentioned to me that a food processor might work to blend in the butter into the flour mixture. I'll have to give that a try.


Special Polvoron...
flavored with candy bars. Click here

10 comments:

  1. Where did you get your polvoron mold? I have always wanted to make them for the office.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Got them from Pinas. I have an xtra but it is only 1/2 inch thick. would you like me to send it to you? Let me know!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Would love that idea but i will send you a replacement when my friend comes in Dec.

    I will email you how to make the water mark. I dont see your email add anywhere, (hehe faulty eyes)

    ReplyDelete
  4. i just sent you an e-mail. anyway, thank you very much.
    You don't need to replace it.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Me, too. Been wanting to make polvoron but I don't have a mold. Anyway, I lost my recipe from way back when I was a high schooler. Glad you have one! I do remember I liked using the margarine and powdered skimmed milk then when I was still in Pinas. However, I will try this recipe once I have a mold (my Nanay will be coming to Canada soon and I will ask her to buy some stuff for me before she leaves the country). I might like the butter and powdered milk here.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hi MaMely, thanks for the mold, received it last night and I have posted a blog about it today. I will be trying out this recipe anytime this weekend and will bring it to work on Monday. Also, I will send you something I made for your kitchen. Just a simple token. Keep the recipes coming from your test kitchen!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hello Manang, I wish we are neighbors so I can just let you use my mold. I didn't realize how much I took gadgets such as this for granted when I was back in the Philippines.
    The powder milk (carnation) you buy at the regular grocery stores doesn't work well for making polvoron..because they are granular and not really powder.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hello Ebie,glad you received the mold and hope you can find the right kind of powdered skim milk, as the kind of powdered milk you get from the regular stores like the Carnation for example, doesn't give you a good result.
    It is nice of you to send me a token...but you didn't have to do that.
    Nagpapakipot lang naman!!
    Take care.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hello,. ask ko lang po kung saan d2 sa Pinas store nyo po nabili yung Polvoron Molder na retractable? usual nkikita ko po kasi oval and circle shape lang po e. want q po sana ung retractable. thanks in advance po. Have a nice day :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. HEllo Des, dala ko pa ito nung dumating ako dito, 26 years ago. Binili ko sa palengke. Sigurado sa mga mall sa houseware dept. makikita mo ito.

    ReplyDelete