Route of confectionery made in convents & monasteries

The Monastery of Corpus Christi in Madrid is home to the congregation of the Jerónimas, known as "Las Carboneras" [The Coal Women] after a painting of the Virgin Mary was found in their coal yard. The convent, located in the heart of the old centre of Madrid on Calle Conde de Miranda 3, is definitely worth the visit. The waft of anise that drifts from the convent leaves us with no other choice but to buy some delicious confectionery prepared handmade by the nuns through the convent turnstile.

In the San Diego Convent (Callejón de Santa María, 3), the Poor Clares make their renowned sugared almonds. These nuns, commonly called "almendreras" [almond trees] or "las Diegas de Alcalá", sell their confectionery through their turnstile every day.

In Loeches, the sisters of the Discalced Carmelites Convent (Plaza de la Duquesa de Alba, 3) prepare XNUMX% artisan jams and marmalades with sugar and seasonal fruit picked directly from their allotment. The Carmelite figs are the most characteristic product made at the convent.

In the Monastery of the Immaculate Conception of Chinchón, the Clarissa nuns make numerous types of sweets, highlighting the fried donuts, soplillos, snow-covered ice creams, almond praline nougat and almond paste with marzipan dough. At Easter you can also buy the traditional hornazos.

The Poor Clares Convent in Valdemoro specialises in Castilian pastries, chocolate truffles, tuna empanadas or almond cake, as well as other sweet delicacies such as grandmother's almendrados, heart-shaped pastries and florecillas.