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Catalinas (Paledonias)

Soft round cookies made with wheat flour, panela, water and spices. A dark crumb, soft inside, sweet and aromatic. A symbol of Lara bakeries.

ByRedacción ElTocuyo.comPublishedUpdated1 min read
Dulce 12 catalinas 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

Step-by-step preparation

  1. In a small pot, boil the panela with the water, the cinnamon stick and the cloves for 10 minutes until you have a dark syrup. Strain and let cool slightly.
  2. In a bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, ground cinnamon, ginger and salt.
  3. In another bowl, beat the shortening with the egg until combined. Add the warm syrup and mix.
  4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and work until you have a soft, dark dough. If it is too sticky, add a little more flour; if it is too dry, a splash of water.
  5. Form 80 g (2.8 oz) balls and flatten them with the palm of your hand on a tray with parchment paper. Traditional catalinas are round and flat, about 8–9 cm (3¼–3½ in) in diameter.
  6. Bake at 170 °C (338 °F) for 18–20 minutes. The idea is for them to remain **soft inside**: if you leave them longer, they end up hard like cookies.
  7. Let cool on a rack. They gain flavor the next day.

Catalinas—also called paledonias in other parts of Lara and the Andes—are one of the classic products of Lara bakeries and confectioneries. They are large, round, dark and soft cookies: a cross between a cookie and a sweet bread that has centuries of tradition in El Tocuyo.

Origin of the name

"Catalina" comes from the proper name Catalina, with no documented reason in the archives. The name "paledonia" is associated with pan de honia or with the diminutive of "paleta," but there is no etymological consensus.

How to recognize a good catalina

  • Very dark brown color: the panela should be clearly present.
  • Soft and moist crumb, not crumbly: the catalina is not a crunchy cookie. If it snaps when you break it, it has been overbaked.
  • Aroma of cloves and cinnamon: the spices should be felt without dominating.
  • Large diameter (~8 cm / 3¼ in) and 1 cm (⅜ in) thickness.

Traditional variations

  • Catalina with cheese: 100 g of grated white cheese is added to the dough.
  • Catalina with ginger: extra ginger and a touch of allspice.
  • Catalina with anise: instead of ginger, whole anise seeds.

How it is eaten

Traditionally with black coffee—Tocuyo coffee from the Humocaros, if possible. It is the all-time Lara afternoon snack: catalinas and coffee at five in the afternoon.

Sources consulted

This article was prepared using the following sources. If you find an error or have additional information, please contact us.

  1. Fundación Polar — Diccionario de Historia de Venezuela — Reference framework for colonial-era dates, biographies, and events.
  2. Venezuelan National Academy of History — Bibliography and reference publications on the colonial period.
  3. Spanish Wikipedia — articles on El Tocuyo, Municipio Morán, and historical figures — Starting point with cross-verification against primary sources.
  4. Venezuelan Institute of Cultural Heritage (IPC) — Cultural goods, festivities, and intangible heritage of Lara state.
  5. Lisandro Alvarado — Glossary of Venezuelan Indigenous Words (1921) and other works — Linguistic, ethnographic, and historical reference by the El Tocuyo–born author.

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