Bizcocho

For other uses, see Bizcocho (disambiguation).
Bizcocho

A bizcocho from Asturias, Spain.
Type Pastry and cookies
Cookbook: Bizcocho  Media: Bizcocho

Bizcocho (Spanish pronunciation: [biθˈkotʃo] or [bisˈkotʃo]) is the name given in the Spanish-speaking world to a wide range of pastries, cakes or cookies. The exact product to which the word bizcocho is applied varies widely depending on the region and country. For instance, in Spain bizcocho is exclusively used to refer to sponge cake. In turn, in Argentina and Uruguay, most buttery flaky pastry including croissants are termed bizcocho, whilst sponge cake is called bizcochuelo. In turn, in Chile, Dominican Republic or Bolivia bizcocho refers to a sweet dough (masa) baked with local ingredients, not dissimilar from the bizcocho from Spain. In Ecuador the dough of a bizcocho can either be sweet or salty. The US state New Mexico is unusual in using the diminutive form of the name, bizcochito, as the name for a locally developed and very popular cookie.

Types of bizcochos

Croissants or Cruasanes (as they are known in Uruguay.)
Margarita with dulce de membrillo (a sweet quince paste.)

Some of the most usual types of bizcochos are:

Uruguay

Bizcochos are one of the most intrinsic traditions of the Uruguayan culture. They are the inseparable "companions" of mate, coffee, café con leche or tea for breakfast or the merienda (afternoon tea.) They are also common in meetings with friends, especially those taking place in parks, squares, beaches or along the coastline in ramblas (an avenue bordering the coast with pedestrian areas on each side) such as the ones in Montevideo.

Bizcochos are sold not only at panaderías (bakeries), but also at specialized shops called bizcocherías.

Other uses for the name

In Colombia, bizcocho refers to a handsome older gentleman as well as to a tasty sweet cake.

In Costa Rica, bizcochos are made with masa, with spices, and/or cheese. They are eaten as a snack, specially with during coffee breaks.

In the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and the southern coast of Spain, the word bizcocho translates to cake.

In some parts of Mexico, bizcocho is a very vulgar term, not used in polite company.

In the Philippines, biscocho refers to baked bread topped with butter and sugar.

See also

References

    This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Monday, March 21, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.