Espécies

Espécies are one of those recipes that instantly bring me back to the Azores — the warm scent of cinnamon and anise filling the kitchen, the careful rolling of dough, and the anticipation of pulling those golden wreaths out of the oven. These traditional Azorean spiced pastries are a Christmas season staple across the islands, and this version of Espécies is one I recreated for Season 2 of Maria’s Portuguese Table.

What Are Espécies?

Espécies are a traditional pastry from the Azores, a group of Portuguese islands in the Atlantic Ocean. The name refers to the spices — espécies means “spices” in Portuguese — and the combination of cinnamon, anise, and cloves is what gives these pastries their distinctive warm, fragrant flavor. They are most commonly found during the Christmas season, though you’ll find them year-round in bakeries throughout the islands. The dough is rolled thin, filled with a spiced sugar and breadcrumb mixture, then shaped into a wreath and baked until golden.

How to Make This Recipe

The key to Espécies is working in two stages — the filling and the dough. You’ll make the filling first, letting it cool completely before handling it, as it needs to be rolled into thin logs. The dough should be kneaded until smooth and non-sticky, then chilled for at least an hour before rolling. Take your time rolling the dough thin — that’s what gives Espécies their crisp, flaky texture. Once filled and shaped into wreaths, they bake quickly at 350°F, just 10-12 minutes.

Tips for the Best Espécies

• Use fresh spices — cinnamon, anise, and cloves lose their punch over time, and the flavor of Espécies depends entirely on them
• Toast the breadcrumbs before mixing the filling; it adds depth and prevents sogginess
• The filling must cool to room temperature before rolling — trying to work with it warm will make a mess
• Your dough should not stick to your hands; add flour a little at a time if it does
• Roll the dough as thin as you can — thinner dough means crispier pastry
• Don’t overfill; the filling should just peek through the cuts, not overflow
• Brush with egg wash right before baking for that glossy, bakery-style finish

For these Espécies, I use a French rolling pin for rolling the dough thin, and a pastry cutter for cutting the pieces cleanly. Both make the process much easier.

Serving and Storing

Espécies are best enjoyed the day they’re made, still slightly warm with a cup of strong coffee or tea. They store well in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. You can also freeze them after baking — just bring them to room temperature before serving.

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Ingredients

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Filling:

Zest from 3 lemons

1 teaspoon of anise essence

1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper

24-ounce can of bread crumbs + 2 cups (toasted)

4 cups water

4 cups of granulated sugar

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

2 tablespoons cinnamon

Dough:
2 eggs

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons butter

4 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups cold water

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Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Once warmed, toast the bread crumbs for 10 minutes.

Filling:

In a large pot, combine water, sugar, and butter and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and toss in the cinnamon, lemon zest, anise essence, and red pepper. Mix thoroughly and let it simmer.

 

Once done, turn off  the heat and add in the bread crumbs. You want to make sure all the ingredients are mixed well. Leave them to cool or until they reach room temperature.

 

Once cooled, you can butter your hands and begin rolling out the mixture. You want to roll out the filling thinly, creating 1⁄3” thick roll.

 

Dough:

To make the dough, you want to thoroughly beat together eggs, sugar, salt, and butter. Toss in the flour and slowly pour in the water while mixing.

 

*Your dough should not be sticky, so take note if you may need to add more water or flour.

 

Knead the dough into a ball and wrap it in plastic wrap for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator. Dust flour onto a flat surface and roll out the dough very thin. Use a small pastry cutter to cut 7 diagonal pieces that are 1 inch long and 1⁄2 inch wide from each other. Place the filling directly on top of the lines and fold the dough over. The filling should be poking out of the cuts. Press the dough up against the filling and cut about 1⁄3 inch away from the filling using the pastry cutter. Bend the dough to form a wreath and bake for 10-12 minutes.

Notes

Here are some tips for baking Espécies:

1. The spices used in Espécies are the key to their flavor, so make sure to use fresh cinnamon, anise, and cloves to get the best results.
2. Roll the dough out thin: The dough should be rolled out as thin as possible so that the pastry is crispy and flaky.
3. Use a non-stick surface: When rolling out the dough, use a non-stick surface like parchment paper or a silicone mat to prevent the dough from sticking.
4. Don’t overfill the pastry: It’s important not to overfill the pastry with the spiced sugar mixture, as this can cause the pastry to burst during baking.
5. Brush with egg wash: Before baking, brush the Espécies with egg wash to give them a glossy finish.

Because this is a recreation of a recipe season in Season two, we have used a recipe that can be found here:
https://thefivemarias.com/2018/08/11/especies-de-sao-jorge-spiced-cookies/

Love Azorean baked goods? Try my Massa Sovada or Bolos Levedos next.