Traditional sweet empanadas from Moquegua, made with a delicate dough scented with egg yolks, shortening, Port wine, cinnamon and cloves. They are filled with quince paste, baked until golden and finished with confectioners' sugar. Small, fragrant and deeply festive.
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Combine the flour, white sugar, ground cinnamon, and ground cloves in a mixing bowl. Add the cold vegetable shortening in pieces and rub it into the flour for 3 to 4 minutes, until the mixture is evenly sandy with no large pieces of fat remaining.
Add about 75% of the egg yolk and all of the Port wine. Mix and press the dough only until it comes together; it should be soft, compact and workable, not elastic. A few small cracks are fine. Wrap in plastic film and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Divide the dough into 12 equal portions using a digital scale and shape into balls. Roll each one into a circle about 10 to 11 cm wide. Place 15 g of quince paste in the center, fold into a half-moon and firmly seal the edges without trapping excess air.
Arrange the empanadas on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Mix the remaining egg yolk with the fresh milk and brush a thin layer over each pastry using a pastry brush. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until golden on top and firm underneath.
Transfer the empanadas to a cooling rack and let them rest for 10 minutes. While still slightly warm, dust with the confectioners' sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature: the pastry should be delicate and crisp, with soft quince filling and a clear aroma of wine and spices. And that's it! Moquegua carnival in a half-moon. 🎭
