Filloas with Orujo Honey and Chestnut Cream

1. 01

   Make the batter

   Whisk eggs with milk and cooled caldo until smooth. Sift flour into a separate bowl, then fold the wet mix in gently — you want no lumps but you're not overworking it. Let it rest 10 minutes; the gluten will relax and the batter will thin slightly as the flour hydrates. It should be thinner than crêpe batter, almost pourable.

   ~10 min
2. 02

   Heat your pan and lard

   Place a large iron crêpe pan or shallow frying pan over medium-high heat. Rub the surface with a small piece of cloth dipped in melted lard — it should shimmer but not smoke. The iron needs to be hot and oiled before each filloa, so keep a bowl of lard and a cloth nearby.

   ~5 min
3. 03

   Cook the filloas

   Pour about 60ml of batter into the centre, immediately tilt and rotate the pan so the batter spreads into a thin, lacy disc — it should look almost transparent in places, holes are good. Cook for 30–45 seconds until the underside is pale golden and the top looks dry, then flip gently and cook the other side for another 15–20 seconds. Transfer to a plate. Re-oil the pan and repeat.

   ~15 min
4. 04

   Warm the chestnut cream

   Put the chestnut purée in a small pan with 30ml of the milk and a pinch of salt. Warm gently, stirring often, until it's loose and pourable — like thick cream. Don't boil it or it'll split. If it's too thick, add milk in small splashes.

   ~5 min
5. 05

   Infuse the honey

   Warm the honey in a small pan with the orujo over gentle heat — just until it's runny and fragrant. Don't let it bubble hard or the alcohol will burn off (unless that's what you want, but the warmth and bite are part of the thing). Zest the lemon directly into the honey.

   ~3 min
6. 06

   Stack and serve

   Stack the filloas on a warm plate, slightly overlapping. Spoon warm chestnut cream over the top, letting it pool into the gaps. Drizzle the orujo honey over it all, finish with a scatter of lemon zest and a tiny pinch of fleur de sel. Serve warm, with a small glass of orujo on the side if you're in the mood.

   ~2 min

First bite: the filloa is crisp at the edges, tender in the middle, faintly savoury from the caldo. Then the chestnut cream — dense, autumnal, almost meaty. The orujo honey is sharp and warming, the lemon zest cuts through everything with brightness. By the end of the stack, you're tasting caramel, spirit, and that odd savoury-sweet pull that only caldo-laced batter can give. It lingers.

• ·The caldo is not optional — it adds a savoury whisper that makes you think, 'what is that?' It's the thing that separates good filloas from great ones.
• ·Don't fear the holes in the filloa. They're proof you've done it right — they should look like lace.
• ·Leftover chestnut cream is excellent on ice cream or stirred into warm milk. Don't bin it.
• ·Orujo is fierce. A little goes a long way. You can also use marc, cognac, or just warm honey if you prefer — but orujo is traditional and tastes better here.