Food - Drink
How Filipino Polvoron Shortbread Is Different From Its Western Namesake
By HOPE NGO
What Is Polvoron
Polvoron, also known as pulboron or polboron, is a Filipino treat that some describe as "Filipino shortbread." However, while western shortbreads are sturdy, solid, and cookie-like, polvoron is crumbly and fragile. incorporates more ingredients than a common shortbread, and is not baked but instead formed into a mold.
Origins of Polvoron
Getting its name from the Spanish word “polvo,” meaning dust, polvoron cookies live up to their namesake with a seriously crumbly texture. The cookie was likely created in the Philippines as a local version of the Spanish cookie, the polvorone, at some point during the Spanish’s long occupation of the nation from 1521 to 1898.
How to Make It
The first step for polvoron is toasting the flour to kill any germs and add a bit of flavor; once toasted, the flour is placed in a bowl along with powdered milk, sugar, melted butter, and any optional mix-ins like crispy rice, crushed Oreo cookies, or nuts. The batter is then simply compressed in a mold, and it’s ready to eat.
Polvoron Molds
Polvoron would be polvo without the special molds that give them their shape and compress the mixture so tightly that it keeps its shape. If you don’t have a mold, a cookie cutter or tart pan will work as long as you compress your mixture tightly, or you can opt to store yours in a jar and eat it with a spoon.