Author: rroncanciom

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Panellets from the Carrió patisserie are the best of Catalonia

Master pastry chef Oriol Carrió preparing pine nuts panellets in the kitchen of her bakery

The Carrió siblings have won the Panellet d’Or 2024 for having the best ‘panellets’

As autumn arrives, Catalonia gears up for its traditional Castanyada celebration. The streets are filled with chestnut and sweet potato stalls and bakeries display their irresistible ‘panellets’. Some, however, can’t wait until October 31st to indulge and begin searching for the best panellet ahead of time. This anticipation leads to the much-awaited contest that returns each year to crown the Best Panellet of the Year.

Although there are different types of ‘panellets’, the most classic variety is the one made with pine nuts. These small, spherical sweets are made with a dough of almonds, sugar and egg white, covered with pine nuts. Their tender interior, combined with a crunchy outer layer, make them a real autumn delight. Because of that, for the last five years, more than 50 confectioners from all over Catalonia have been competing to create the best version of this classic.

This year, Pastisseria Carrió, located in the Gràcia district of Barcelona, has once again won the prestigious Panellet d’Or 2024 Award for the second time. This award is organised by the Obra Social Ernest Verdaguer of the Panàtics platform, with the support of the Gremio de Panaderos de Barcelona (Barcelona Bakers’ Guild).

Carrió's ‘panellets’
Photo: EL PERIÓDICO || Carrió’s ‘panellets’.

A Legacy of Sweet Success and ‘panellets’

The proof of the excellence of Pastisseria Carrió ‘s sweets is reflected in the many distinctions they have received. This family business has been using the same marzipan recipe for 40 years and three generations. Also, they have been recognised with distinctions such as the Best Saint John’s Day Cream Coke in 2019, the Best Classic Three Kings’ Cake in 2021 or the Fava de Cacau Seal, among others.

Although the price of the pine nut panellet at Pastisseria Carrió is 2.10 euros per unit, somewhat higher than in other pastry shops, if you are a true lover of these sweets, you can’t miss the opportunity to try them before the end of the Catalan festival.