Tarta de Santiago, and El Camino

Natacha Sanz Caballero Desserts and Sweets, Events & Travel almond cake, Camino de Santiago, gluten free, pilgrimage, Santiago de Compostela, tarta de almendras, Way of Saint James

The origin of tarta de Santiago, or rather, why the famous Spanish almond tart is named after the apostle Saint James, patron saint of Spain, is unknown. But for centuries, the cake has been adorned with the cross of the knights of Saint James in confectioners sugar, and visitors to the city of Santiago de Compostela, where the apostle is believed to be buried, buy it as a souvenir of their visit to the pilgrims’ city, or arrival through the Camino de Santiago, the Way of Saint James.

Monte do Gozo, where pilgrims get the first view of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela

It is said that early in the 9th century in Iria Flavia, Galicia, a hermit, Pelayo, saw some unusual lights over an inhabited hill, where he discovered an ancient tomb containing a decapitated body, holding its head under its arm. The tomb was believed to be that of the apostle Saint James, who was martyred in Jerusalem, and whose body was believed to have been brought to Galicia by two of his apostles.The place where the tomb was found took the name of Campus Stellae (constellation), which evolved into Compostela, and added the apostle’s name too, Sant Iago (Saint James); therefore, Santiago de Compostela.

The bishop Teodomiro led the construction of a mighty cathedral, which continued during the 11th and 12th centuries, to house the grave of the apostle, and during the middle ages, Santiago de Compostela was considered as the Jerusalem of the west, one of the most important places of pilgrimage for Christians. The pilgrimage route has remained throughout the centuries, and continues to this day, having been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Nowadays, pilgrims make the trip for a multitude of reasons, but the goal is always the same: to reach the city of Santiago and exhibit their reverence in the cathedral, kissing the statue of the apostle and asking for help or expressing thanks.

Sign of the pilgrimage way of Saint James in Lyon, France

I had the opportunity to cover a portion of the route (el Camino de Santiago) with my mom in 2010, just a couple of months after my dad -and her husband‘s- death. Along the way during the many miles traveled on foot, we had the opportunity to walk alongside people from all walks of life, from many professions and geographical areas. We met people from Canada, and from Australia, from Austria, from Barcelona, from Colombia… all willing to share their stories and reasons to walk the Camino. It was a peaceful and meditative experience, as well as restorative and healing. My mom and I spent quality time together, surrounded by the beauty of God’s creation, and remembering dad. When my son Matthew, with a couple of friends, decided to walk the Camino after high school graduation in 2015, I had no doubt this was going to be a wonderful experience for him.

The route is signaled by yellow arrows and by the symbol of the pilgrim, a scallop shell, which can be found throughout the way, as far away as France, with all routes converging in Puente de la Reina, just south of the Pyrenees. Reaching Santiago and entering the Cathedral was an emotional experience, and I could only imagine what the pilgrims of centuries before me must have felt, after the arduous trip on foot from the Pyrenees, 460 miles (740 kilometers) away. I won’t expand more on the Camino, the pilgrimage, here, but I promise I’ll write about it on the Idiosyncrasies section of the blog.

As it happens with many Spanish dishes, there’s not one only recipe for tarta de Santiago. However, it is commonly accepted that real tarta de Santiago doesn’t include wheat flour, only almonds, or almond flour. It is, therefore, completely gluten-free.

For my recipe, I included equal parts of ground almonds and almond flour, for consistency but also for lightness. And don’t worry if you don’t have a stencil of the cross of the knights of Saint James (easily found at stores in Spain): I googled it, printed it, and cut it out with a paper cutter. Okay, it was a bit of work and required a steady hand, but it was worth it (doesn’t it look good on the cake?) Tarta de Santiago, cake of Saint James, is slightly moist, and light at the same time, which in my books, makes it ideal to have for breakfast, or for dessert, or for an afternoon snack. It is easy to make and I am sure it will become a favorite at your house, just like it is at our house.

Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, and my mom

Sign of the pilgrimage way of Saint James in Lyon, France

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CAKE OF SAINT JAMES

Tarta de Santiago

Author: Natacha Sanz Caballero, Mama Ía blog

Ingredients

• 4 eggs
• 1/2 Tbs finely grated lemon zest
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup almond flour
• 1 cup ground almonds
• 1/3 cup icing sugar
• 1 Tbs butter
• Flour for dusting the pan

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
• Prepare the pan: coat the inside of a 9 inch springform pan with butter. Dust with flour, covering bottom and sides. Shake off the excess.
• In a large mixing bowl, add the eggs, lemon zest, cinnamon and sugar and mix well. Add the ground almonds and mix. Add the almond flour and mix well until fully incorporated.
• Pour batter in prepared pan and bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown (check after 20 minutes to avoid over baking).
• Let the cake rest over a cake rack until completely cooled down. Place the stenciled cross of Saint James in the center of the cake and dust freely and generously (yes, over dust!) with a thick layer of icing sugar. Make sure not to leave any surface uncovered.
• With the tip of a knife, carefully lift the stencil.

Notes

It’s easy to find a stencil of the cross of Saint James in Spain, not so easy in the United States. I googled it, printed it, and carefully cut it out with a paper cutter (I’m saving it for future cakes!)