Coca de Sant Joan recipe

Carmen, author of Yerbabuena en la Cocina , brings us the recipe to enjoy the night of San Juan in the best way: with a delicious coca with cream, pine nuts and candied fruit. I encourage you to prepare it at home!

Although no one would guess it because of the cold weather of the last few days, we are at the doors of the summer solstice and on the eve of the shortest night of the year, that of San Juan. There are many gastronomic traditions spread throughout the different areas of Spain, on this occasion I bring you one of the star recipes that cannot be missed in many corners of Catalonia that night, the Coca de San Juan , which I have decorated with cream, pine nuts and candied fruit.

There are many customs and rituals celebrated throughout Spain, but they all have one main protagonist in common: fire. Tradition dictates that we should throw into it, even if only symbolically, all the negative things of the past few months so that they are left behind and we can purify ourselves.

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I still have this tradition very deeply rooted. I remember when I was a child and lived in Vigo, when June came, the children in my street, taking advantage of the fact that there was no school in the afternoons, would look for and collect objects that could burn and then compete with other children from other streets to make the best and biggest bonfire.

Adults also took part: they prepared a queimada around the fire and ended the night with it, with spells and charms… I can still smell the aroma of orujo, coffee beans and lemon peel slowly burning. What a magical night!

How to prepare a coca de Sant Joan with cream for this festival

INGREDIENTS

For the sourdough:
100gr strong flour
100ml milk
20gr fresh baker's yeast

For coca:
The previously prepared sourdough
350gr strong flour
110gr sugar
50ml milk
100gr butter in ointment
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
Orange and lemon zest
50ml orange blossom water
1 pinch of salt

For decoration:
250gr of pastry cream
Candied fruit
Pine nuts
Sugar
Egg for brushing

ELABORATION

The night before we prepare the sourdough. To prepare the sourdough, put the fresh yeast dissolved in the milk in a bowl and mix with the flour. Cover and store in the refrigerator for a few hours.