El Hierro Cheese Quesadillas

Canarian Recipes: Herreñas Quesadillas

A typical dessert from El Hierro. Similar to a small cake and usually shaped like a flower, the main ingredient of the quesadilla is El Hierro cheese. The first El Hierro quesadillas were made at the beginning of the 20th century by the same family that continues the tradition of this sweet treat, a gastronomic symbol of El Hierro.

Herreño cheese is an iconic artisanal product from the island of El Hierro, traditionally made with a mixture of goat’s milk (mainly), cow’s milk and sheep’s milk, it stands out for its tender smoked, semi-cured and cured varieties, often made with raw or pasteurized milk, reflecting the island’s pastoral tradition.

Ingredients

9 servings

• 350g fresh cheese
• 70g flour
• 50g honey
• 35g sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp chopped lemon peel
• 1/2 tsp anise seeds
• 1 pinch cinnamon

Method

1. Mash the fresh cheese with a fork without mixing or beating.
2. Mix the egg with the sugar, honey, and chopped lemon zest.
3. Add the mashed fresh cheese and mix.
4. Add the anise seeds and ground cinnamon and mix again.
5. Add the flour and mix until fully incorporated.
6. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 1 hour.
7. Rub a small piece of butter on the base and sides of each muffin tin cavity.
8. Pour a little flour into each cavity and up the sides so it adheres to the butter.
9. Turn the muffin tin upside down to remove any excess flour.
10. Fill each cavity halfway with the dough.
11. Bake at 170ºC for about 45 minutes.
12. Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature.
13. Unmold the quesadillas and store them in the refrigerator.
14. Take the quesadillas out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before eating them so they can come to room temperature.

With Caramelized Drizzle (Sugar and Butter)

Substitutes for Queso Herreño
The best substitutes for Queso Herreño (El Hierro cheese) are other semi-hard to hard, slightly smoky or tangy goat/sheep cheeses. From the Canary Islands maybe Queso Palmero or Queso Majorero. These offer a similar firm texture and, if smoked, a comparable flavor profile, often available in specialty Spanish shops or online.