Bondurri
"Bondurri"
From the treasured pages of Cuaderno de Carmen Volante
Written by Cármen Volante
Bondurri
"A una lb de cacahuate, una de dulce, lleva azúcar y panela y una cucharada de miel virgen, todo esto se clarifica y ya que está de punto alto se echa el cacahuate que estará martajado. Hasta que se vea el fondo del cazo se bate mucho hasta que esté bien espeso se echa en un cajón que tenga papel para que no se pegue. Hasta que esté de corte se saca para cortarlo."
English Translation
"For one pound of peanuts, use one pound of sweet (sugar), add sugar and panela, and a tablespoon of pure honey. Clarify all of this, and once it reaches a high point, add the peanuts, which should be coarsely ground. Stir a lot until you can see the bottom of the pot and the mixture becomes very thick, then pour it into a tray lined with paper to prevent sticking. Once it's firm, remove it to cut into pieces."
Note on the Original Text
This recipe is written in the terse, pragmatic style common to early 20th-century manuscript cookbooks. Ingredients are listed by eye and proportion (“a pound of this, a pound of that”), and instructions assume reader familiarity with the terms like 'de punto alto' (hard crack stage) and 'clarificar' (to clarify or melt). Spelling is colloquial and region-specific; for example, 'martajado' (coarsely ground) and 'dulce' likely refer specifically to piloncillo or panela, rather than general sweetness. The focus is on method and texture—marked by cues like 'see the bottom of the pan'—rather than precise timing.
Title
Cuaderno de Carmen Volante (1904)
You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome
Writer
Cármen Volante
Era
1904
Publisher
Unknown
Background
A handwritten culinary treasure from 1904, this manuscript brims with delicious soups, salsas, tantalizing meat entrées, embutidos, fresh fish, irresistible desserts, preserves, cakes, and refreshing drinks. Each page tempts with recipes sure to inspire any gourmet’s imagination.
Kindly made available by
University of Texas at San Antonio
The recipe for Bondurri comes from a handwritten 'cuaderno' (notebook) dated 1904, penned by Carmen Volante. This personal manuscript captures the domestic cooking traditions of turn-of-the-century Mexico, offering a glimpse into the kitchens of the era. Preserved alongside recipes for salsas, soups, and preserves, Bondurri stands as an example of the period’s confectionery techniques—merging indigenous ingredients like peanuts with colonial-introduced sugars. 1900s Mexico was a time of culinary synthesis and resourcefulness, reflected in the home production of sweets using locally available nuts and unrefined sugars such as piloncillo or panela.
Historically, cooks would use a copper or clay 'cazo' (a wide, deep pot) set over an open fire or wood stove for making sugar confections. Peanuts would be crushed with a stone metate or mortar and pestle. The mixture would be poured into wooden trays or drawers lined with oiled or papered parchment. Wooden spoons or sturdy spatulas were essential for vigorous stirring, and a keen eye was needed to judge the sugar’s cooking stage—no thermometers in sight!
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Servings
20
We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!
Ingredients
- 1 pound unsalted peanuts
- 1 pound piloncillo (or panela; substitute: dark brown sugar)
- 3.5 ounces white granulated sugar
- 0.7 ounces raw honey (about 1 tbsp)
Instructions
- To make Bondurri, begin by preparing your ingredients: 1 pound of unsalted peanuts, 1 pound of piloncillo (or panela), 3.5 ounces of granulated sugar, and 1 tablespoon (about 0.7 ounces) of raw honey.
- Coarsely crush the peanuts with a mortar and pestle or a food processor.
- In a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, combine the panela, sugar, and honey.
- Melt and cook, stirring, until the mixture becomes a deep amber and reaches hard crack stage (around 302°F/150°C), forming a thick syrup.
- Quickly mix in the crushed peanuts.
- Continue stirring vigorously until the mixture is very thick and you can see the bottom of the pan as you stir.
- Pour it out into a rectangular tray or deep dish lined with parchment paper.
- Allow to cool and set until firm.
- When nearly set, lift from the tray and cut into bars or squares.
Estimated Calories
260 per serving
Cooking Estimates
You spend a few minutes prepping the peanuts and ingredients, then about 15 minutes cooking everything together. Each bar is a treat that has about 260 calories, and you'll get about 20 bars from this recipe.
As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.
We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.
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