After planning your dream family trip to the Balearic Islands, the kids will want to know about one thing – the food! The Balearic Islands of Ibiza, Formentera, Majorca and Menorca have a host of native dishes beloved by tourists.
While you might most commonly associate savoury dishes like paella and gazpacho with Iberian cuisine, desserts have an important part in this region’s love affair with food. Below, we list three sweet treats your little ones won’t be able to get enough of on your next Balearic adventure.
Gató d’ametlla
Gató d’ametlla is a dessert native to Majorca that initially came from Valldemossa and is essentially a cake made using almonds. Majorca is famous for its almond trees that bloom in late winter with pink and white flowers, but gató d’ametlla is served all year round. It is most deliciously paired with vanilla ice cream.
This almond cake is sure to hit the spot with the whole family, plus the addition of ice cream is a winner for kids of all ages. There will be nothing better than a cool, refreshing dessert after a long day in the Balearic sun.
Flaó de Ibiza
Flaó de Ibiza is a sweet flan made with fresh cheese, eggs, sugar and citrus fruits. This Ibizan native dessert is typically a savoury dish elsewhere in Spain, but this sweet version is loved by locals and tourists alike.
Flaó de Ibiza is commonly made with goat or sheep’s cheese. It originally was only made around Easter as a celebration flan, but nowadays it’s too good not to be eaten throughout the year!
The kids will adore this tasty Balearic dish, and this flan proves a lighter dessert alternative after a heavier meal. There’s always room for something sweet after all!
Greixonera de Brossat
Greixonera de brossat is another Majorcan speciality, similar to a traditional cheesecake – something that every sweet-toothed toddler will be familiar with! ItIt’sade with the ingredients of a traditional cheesecake but also features brossat, a fresh cottage cheese that’s made from cow’s milk.
Ingredients are blended and then baked in a greixonera. This is the name of the baking dish the dessert is prepped in – no prizes for guessing where this delicacy got its name from. Greixonera de brossat was another traditional dessert served to celebrate Easter. However, this delicious treat can also be found on the menus of Balearic eateries across the archipelago throughout the year.
This dish proves the perfect post-meal addition for every night out. All kids love a sweet cheesecake, and this traditional fare will be a hit for all ages.
The Spanish Islands are full of delicious native desserts. Why not try making some with the kids before your trip to whet their appetites for your next family holiday to the Balearic Islands?
You can find countless sweet Spanish recipes with ingredients that can be sourced from your local supermarket. Most dishes can be made very easily. Many recipes can easily swap out the harder to find, native Baleric ingredients.
So what are you waiting for? Get cooking and bring some Balearic sunshine to your family dinner table at home.
