 | |
| Alternative names | Biscuit roll, crispy biscuit roll, crisp biscuit roll, cookie roll, love letter |
|---|---|
| Type | Biscuit |
| Place of origin |  Spain |
| Variations | Barquiron,Cuchuflí |
Barquillo is a crispy rolledwafer pastry originating inSpain. It is made from the basiccookie ingredients of flour, sugar, egg whites and butter rolled out thinly and then shaped into a hollow cylinder or a cone. It was traditionally sold by roadside vendors known asbarquilleros who carried a characteristic redroulette tin (theruleta de barquillero). It was introduced toLatin America and thePhilippines during colonial times. In Spain and former Spanish colonies, barquillos are commonly regarded as a type ofChristmas cookie. It is also popular during variousfiestas. It spread to neighboring countries and today is extremely popular inEast andSoutheast Asian countries.[1][2][3]
The Spanish namebarquillo means "little boat". It is derived from the ancient tradition of heating the biscuits in convex or boat-shaped molds. Barquillos are also known by a variety of names. InEnglish it is also known asbiscuit roll,cookie roll,crispy biscuit roll,egg roll,crisp biscuit roll, orlove letter. The Chinese name for this snack, "蛋卷", can be directly translated into English as "egg roll". However, the food item known in the West asegg roll is very different.
Barquillos are thinwafers made from flour, sugar, egg whites and butter that is rolled into the shape of a long hollow tube or a cone. They can also be sold simply folded over twice in a fan shape. In Spain, it was traditionally sold by roaming roadside vendors known as "barquilleros" (or "barquilleras") during festive events. InMadrid, barquilleros are particularly associated with thefiesta ofSan Isidro Labrador, where the vendors typically dress incastizo (chulapo) attire.[4]
Barquilleros carry a characteristic red tin known as theruleta de barquillero which has aroulette spinner at the top. Buying barquillos typically involve a small game, where the buyer pays to spin the roulette. Depending on where the ticker lands, the buyer can either have one or two barquillos for the same price. The buyer can also pay a slightly larger amount to continue spinning the roulette and getting barquillos until it lands on one of the four golden markers.[3]
The tradition of barquilleros almost became extinct during the dictatorship ofFrancisco Franco.[3] Today, barquillos are most popular in Asia which has a larger population than Spain.[1]
Barquillos are traditionally eaten plain. Modern versions, however, can flavor it with ingredients includingvanilla,cinnamon, gratedcoconut, and lemon juice. Barquillos are also commonly dipped or coated inmilk chocolate or have a chocolate center.[4] Due to their similarity toice cream cones, they are also commonly sold as containers for frozen treats.[3]
Similar recipes to barquillos also exist in other countries inEurope, like theparizske pecivo ofCzechoslovakia, thepirouettes ofFrance, andkrumkake ofNorway. Flat versions are known aswafle inPoland,goro inNorway, andpizzelle inItaly, among others.[5]
InArgentina andChile, cylindrical barquillos filled withdulce de leche, chocolate, or other sweet fillings are known ascuchuflís (Chile) orcubanitos (Argentina).[6]
Barquillos in thePhilippines lack the grid-pattern of traditional Spanish barquillos. They are thinner and are usually rolled into elongated cylindrical shapes.[7] Philippine barquillos are most strongly associated with the city ofIloilo, particularly to the Deocampo bakery in the district ofJaro, which has been commercially mass-producing barquillos since 1896.[8]
A notable variant of barquillo is theFilipinobarquiron (also spelledbarqueron), which are barquillos filled withpolvorón and crushed peanuts,cashew nuts, orpili nuts. It originates from the city ofIloilo.[9] Other variants of Philippine barquillos include those flavored withube,pandan leaves, andcarrots, which are bright purple, green, and orange in color, respectively.[10]
InHong Kong, biscuit rolls are made ofwheat flour, butter, egg, sugar, andvanilla flavour.[11]
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Media related toBarquillos at Wikimedia Commons
