Where are the nuns who sell pastries through little windows?
 

I know I have read several travel books that mention that one way convents make money is by making pastries..sometime for very fancy hotels and restaurants. But they also sell them through little doors in the wall of the convent.

I have been trying in vain to find where I read this, and what cities have this. As a dessert lover, I think this would be a wonderful way to satisfy my sweet tooth and help the convents at the same time.

We plan to be all over Spain in Sept. and Oct... (except for Barcelona)..so if anyone knows where we can find these "hole in the wall" pastries, I'd appreciate the information.

We encountered this in Soria Spain where were visiting some friends - I doubt Soria in on your itinerary. I remember them more for the interesting "delivery method" than for their taste.

kleroux,
They're all over-in Madrid, Castilla León, Andalucía, you name it.

You can find one in Old Madrid-
El Convento de las Carboneras on Plaza Conde de Miranda 3, but the door is on Calle del Codo. Go in the morning from 9:30-1.

Revulgo had a funny post about this, but I'd can't find it. I'm sure he'll be here to give you more details.

kleroux,
Here's a list of their locations in Seville

http://www.sevillaclick.com/sevilla/...riosidades.htm

And here's a picture of the delivery system, via a lazy susan, a "torno"

http://www.gomadrid.com/shopping/Con...us-Cristi.html

The Convento de Corpus Cristi is its official name.

There is even one in Pantón Galicia

Here's one in the Albaicín (ancient arab) quarter of Granada

Clarisas nuns of the Monasterio de Santa María la Real on Calle Santa María la Real.

They sell their magdalenas throughout the year and special treats at Xmas and Holy Week.

Now, I remember the ritual Revulgo posted,

Traditionally it was the unwritten rule that a customer, in the vestibule, in front of the "torno", would preface his/her order with this greeting to the cloistered nun,
"Ave María Purísima",
to which she would reply, "Sin Pecado Concebida".

Then the order could procede.

also ask your hotel for "conventos de clausura que venden dulces". They should know.

Beware.. many of these sweets are THAT.. very sweet. The whole ordeal is unique. The egg yolk sweets have no or little preservatives so do not "save" them for a special ocassion as when you open into them you may be surprised!

Ay, yes, lin
those "yemas"-cloyingly sweet, too sweet for me!

Thank you, people. Very a propos. I'll be in Madrid in September staying just around the corner! To the convent I shall go. Those pastries better be good.

I heard about one at the top of the hill in Toledo. I didn't bother to track down the sweets but it was great to go up to the top of the hill, where tourists seldom go, and I did see nuns scurrying about.

The pastries I tasted in Toledo, most especially the signature apple cookies, were delicious! They weren't too sweet for me.

kleroux,
If you do opt for the "yemas", such as the ultra famous Yemas de Santa Teresa in Avila, just know that the ingredients are egg yolk, water and sugar-period!
(or maybe with a little touch of cinammon and lemon peel).

Lin is certainly right. They don't "keep" well.

I wish I had known about this board on my first trip to Spain. You can imagine my embarrassment when I brought my special Spanish treat (yemas) into the office to share with my co-workers. It was a couple of weeks after my trip and I had a little "surprise" when I opened up the box.

Now I stick with the almond cookies ;)

WOW... thanks for the speedy replies... is what they make mostly only Yemas?? Somehow I thought each convent made something different. The Yemas don't sound very good..what holds them together?

kleroux,
You need to ask what the offering are. Each convent sells different sweets at different times.

In Madrid, at the Convento de Corpus Cristi, I'd go with the almond biscuits, the mantecados or the naranjines. The "tocino del cielo" is another dessert made with egg yolks and sugar.

Here's a recipe in English for yemas de Santa Teresa.

http://www.catholicculture.org/cultu...ew.cfm?id=1268

Arcos de la Frontera in Andalucia is another place where you can buy. Tend to be more biscuity there - no yema. theconvent is in front of the small market hall in the old town at the top of the hill. tourist office in plaza de cabilda which you can't miss is nearby and they will steer you along the right street; if not the parador hotel will do so, or any local you meet

That's right! Thanks. Had forgotten about Arcos.

I much prefer the biscuits to the yemas.