Publication of an application for registration pursuant to the second subparagraph of Article 8(1) of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2082/92 on certificates of specific character
Date: 2001-01-09
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Catalonia, Spain, confectionery product, designation of origin, location of production, pastry-making

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Publication of an application for registration pursuant to the second subparagraph of Article 8(1)
of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2082/92 on certificates of specific character

(2001/C 5/03)

This publication confers the right to object to the application pursuant to Articles 8 and 9 of the
abovementioned Regulation. Any objection to the application must be submitted via the competent
authority in the Member State concerned within a time limit of five months from the date of this
publication. Supporting arguments for publication are set out below, in particular under points 4.2, 4.3
and 4.4, and are considered to justify the application within the meaning of Regulation (EEC) No 2082/92.

APPLICATION FOR REGISTRATION OF A CERTIFICATE OF SPECIFIC CHARACTER

COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) No 2082/92

National application No 4

1. Responsible department in the Member State

Name:

Subdirecci(cid:243)n General de Denominaciones de Calidad
Direcci(cid:243)n General de Alimentaci(cid:243)n
Secretar(cid:237)a General de Agricultura y Alimentaci(cid:243)n
Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentaci(cid:243)n

Address: Paseo Infanta Isabel, 1, E-28071 Madrid

Tel.

Fax

(34-913) 47 53 97/47 52 98

(34-913) 47 54 10/47 51 70.

2. Applicant group

2.1. Name:

Federaci(cid:243) Catalana de Pastisseria

2.2. Address: Avda. Gaud(cid:237), 28, 1er 2a, E-08025 Barcelona

Tel.

Fax

(34-913) 348 09 47

(34-913) 436 28 46.

2.3. Composition: producer/processor (x)

other (

).

3. Type of product: Category 2.4. Bread, pastry, cakes, confectionery, biscuits and other baker’s wares.

4. Summary of product specification

(summary of requirements under Article 6(2)).

4.1. Name: Panellets

4.2. Description and method of production

(cid:145)Panellets(cid:146) are small sweets that come in various forms, essentially made of marzipan and
ingredients giving characteristic flavours and aromas to the product.

There is a large variety of panellets made from three different kinds of marzipan: basic marzipan,
coarse marzipan and fine marzipan.

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In all cases, the addition of starch (potatoes or yams), apple, preservatives or colourings is
forbidden.

PANELLETS MADE FROM BASIC MARZIPAN

A basic marzipan is made by adding, for each kilo of peeled, finely ground almonds, 1 kilo of
sugar and 350 g of egg-white. The mixture is well blended using rollers and left
for
approximately 24 hours until consistent. The next stages are shaping and the addition of
flavourings.

(a) Pine-nut panellets

To each kilo of basic marzipan, 10 g of grated lemon rind are added. Portions of
approximately 20 g are entirely covered with pine-nuts moistened with egg. They are then
formed into balls, glazed with egg and cooked in the oven at 280 (cid:176)C-290 (cid:176)C.

Organoleptic characteristics

Toasted crust

Toasted crust

Pine-nuts and lemon

Pine-nuts and marzipan

Colour

Texture

Scent

Flavour

(b) Almond panellets

To each kilo of basic marzipan, 10 g of grated lemon rind are added. Portions of
approximately 20 g are entirely covered with chopped almonds moistened with egg. They
are formed into long, slightly rounded shapes, glazed with egg and cooked in the oven at
260 (cid:176)C-270 (cid:176)C.

Organoleptic characteristics

Toasted golden

Soft interior

Vanilla

Almond crunch

Colour

Texture

Scent

Flavour

(c) Coconut panellets

For each kilo of basic marzipan, 150 g of grated coconut, 150 g of icing sugar and 100 g of
egg-white are added. Portions of approximately 25 g are made into small, rough, pointed
mounds and cooked in the oven at 260 (cid:176)C-270 (cid:176)C.

Organoleptic characteristics

FlambØ

Thin toasted crust and soft interior

Coconut

Coconut and almond

Colour

Texture

Scent

Flavour

(d) Hazelnut panellets

For each kilo of basic marzipan, 150 g of ground toasted hazelnuts, 150 g of icing sugar and
100 g of egg-white are added. Portions of approximately 22 g are formed into balls and
covered with granulated sugar. A hazelnut is put in the middle of each piece and they are
then cooked in the oven at 240 (cid:176)C-250 (cid:176)C.

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Organoleptic characteristics

Brown

Sugary exterior

Hazelnut

Hazelnut and marzipan

Colour

Texture

Scent

Flavour

(e) Orange panellets

For each kilo of basic marzipan, 200 g of finely chopped candied orange peel are added.
Portions of approximately 26 g are formed into long shapes, covered with granulated sugar
and cooked in the oven at 240 (cid:176)C-250 (cid:176)C.

Organoleptic characteristics

Orangey

Sugary crust and soft interior

Orange

Orange and almond

Colour

Texture

Scent

Flavour

(f) Lemon panellets

For each kilo of basic marzipan, 10 g of grated lemon rind and two egg yolks are added.
Portions of approximately 26 g are formed into balls, covered with granulated sugar and
cooked in the oven at 240 (cid:176)C-250 (cid:176)C.

Organoleptic characteristics

Pale yellow

Crunchy exterior due to the sugar coating and soft interior with
small pieces of lemon

Lemon

Lemon and almond

Colour

Texture

Scent

Flavour

(g) Yolk panellets

For each kilo of basic marzipan, 150 g of light confectioner’s custard and 1 g of vanilla are
added. Portions of approximately 26 g are formed into balls, covered copiously with icing
sugar and cooked in the oven at 220 (cid:176)C-230 (cid:176)C.

Organoleptic characteristics

Pale yellow

Smooth

Egg and almonds

Egg and almonds

Colour

Texture

Scent

Flavour

(h) Coffee panellets

For each kilo of basic marzipan, 8 g of ground coffee are added plus caramel to give the
required colour. Portions of approximately 26 g are formed into long shapes, covered with
icing sugar and cooked in the oven at 220 (cid:176)C-230 (cid:176)C.

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Organoleptic characteristics

Dark brown

Toasted exterior and soft interior

Coffee

Coffee and almond

Colour

Texture

Scent

Flavour

(i) Strawberry panellets

For each kilo of basic marzipan, a reasonable amount of strawberry jam and one egg are
added. Portions of approximately 26 g are formed into balls, covered with icing sugar and
cooked in the oven at 220 (cid:176)C-230 (cid:176)C.

Colour

Texture

Scent

Flavour

Organoleptic characteristics

Strawberry

Soft

Strawberry

Strawberry and almond

(j) Marron glacØ panellets

For each kilo of basic marzipan, 300 g of marron glacØ paste are added. Portions of
approximately 22 g are formed into balls, covered with icing sugar and cooked in the oven
at 220 (cid:176)C-230 (cid:176)C.

Colour

Texture

Scent

Flavour

Organoleptic characteristics

Light brown

Soft

Chestnut and almond

Chestnut and almond

PANELLETS MADE WITH COARSE MARZIPAN

For each kilo of basic marzipan (made as described above), 150 g of ground almonds are added
plus egg-white to give the required texture. Portions of approximately 26 g are cut into various
shapes, the most traditional being chestnuts, mashrooms clogs and strips filled with candied fruit
and quince.

PANELLETS MADE FROM FINE MARZIPAN

1 300 g of sugar with 400 g water and 6 g of cream of tartar are brought to the boil (118 (cid:176)C)
and 1 kg of ground almonds and 200 g of glucose are mixed in. This base is left to rest for 24
hours. Afterwards it is refined and is ready for use.

(a) Chestnut panellets with chocolate

Chestnuts are shaped out of approximately 18 g of this fine marzipan base and then covered
in chocolate.

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Colour

Texture

Scent

Flavour

Organoleptic characteristics

Brown

Exterior crust and soft interior

Chocolate

Chocolate and almond

(b) (cid:145)Huesos de Santo(cid:146) (saint’s bones) panellets

The fine marzipan base is rolled out with a grooved rolling-pin. Confectioner’s custard is
spread on top and the mixture is cut into 30 g pieces. The pieces are then jellied and glazed
with syrup.

Organoleptic characteristics

White, sugar-glazed

Soft

Egg yolk

Egg yolk and marzipan

Colour

Texture

Scent

Flavour

4.3. Traditional character

Catalan literature of the 18th century records that in what is now the Old Town in Barcelona
there was already an annual fair of chestnuts and panellets, which were, and still are, eaten along
with chestnuts and sweet wine on the feast of All Saints. During the fair, huge trays of different
shaped and flavoured panellets, assembled to form pictures and funny shapes, were displayed.
Already in the 1796 fair, there were more than two hundred stalls displaying, among other
products, panellets, which were raffled among the people. This tradition of raffling panellets,
which was generally carried out by confectioners, spread to many large towns.

People brought the panellets to the church in baskets, large and small. They had them blessed by
the priest and ate them in church with the rest of the community, as a collective religious act.

To give an idea of the consumption of panellets in the city of Barcelona, suffice to say that already
in 1920, the (cid:145)Forn de Sant Jaume(cid:146) (Saint James Bakery) (one of the most prestigious bakeries in
the city of Barcelona) bought a thousand kilos of peeled pine-nuts to make only the pine-nut
variety of panellets. According to the Provincial Guild of Bakers and Confectioners of Barcelona,
in autumn 1999 approximately 600 000 kilos of panellets were eaten in the city and metropolitan
area of Barcelona, the pine-nut variety being the most popular (50 %), followed by the almond
variety (15 %).

Finally, panellets, according to ethnographic studies, have a ritual meaning,
confectionery eaten on specific days.

like all traditional

4.4. Product description

Organoleptic characteristics: given that these characteristics (colour, taste, scent and texture) vary
according to the variety of panellet, these are set out separately in each of the previous sections.

Physical and chemical characteristics: the composition of the different panellets varies according to
the type of marzipan (basic, coarse, fine) used in its production and according to the variety under
the use of potatoes, yams, apples, preservatives and
consideration. However,
colourings is strictly forbidden.

in all cases,

Microbiological characteristics: the microbiological criteria that must be fulfilled are those set out in
the relevant health legislation (Council Directive 93/43/EEC of 14 June 1993 on the hygiene of
foodstuffs).

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Presentation: Traditionally, panellets are sold retail, unpackaged through confectioners and other
shops. If they are sold packaged, the box containing the panellets must be labelled according to
the legislation in force.

4.5. Minimum requirements and inspection procedures to which specific character is subject

Panellets registered as a (cid:145)Guaranteed traditional speciality(cid:146) must have specific characteristics
distinct from other panellets. Thus,
in the making of the basic marzipan, only dried peeled
almonds, sugar and egg-white may be used. The addition of starches (potatoes or yams), apple,
preservatives or colourings is strictly forbidden.

Checks are carried out: on organoleptic characteristics; for the absence of starch (by test with I2
solution), for the absence of preservatives (sorbic/sorbate/benzoic/benzoate) and of natural or
artificial colourings (by high performance liquid chromatography); for the absence of apple (by
determination of soluble food fibre by chemical means. In varieties of panellets that do not
contain fruit, the test will be carried out on the finished product, while in those that contain
fruit, it will be carried out on the marzipan paste).

The elements set out above will be checked by the (cid:145)Bureau Veritas Espaæol(cid:146) certification bodies
and by other bodies that guarantee compliance with standard EN-45011. The certification bodies
will check the manufacturer’s control system and the product characteristics and will carry out
periodic follow-up inspections.

the
The certification bodies will check the production conditions and the characteristics of
finished product. They will grant an initial certificate to the companies concerned, who must
submit a written request to any of the authorised certification bodies, agreeing to respect the
requirements contained in the specifications and to carry out the necessary checks to guarantee
compliance therewith.

Makers and manufacturers must have written procedures describing the production specifications
and the characteristics of the finished product. Furthermore, they must keep a record of the daily
production of panellets.

Once the compliance certificate has been granted, the certification bodies will carry out periodic
monitoring and validation inspections, according to the seasonal nature of the product and the
production volume of each manufacturer, in which compliance with the specifications will be
checked by means of audits of manufacturers’ control systems, examination of documentation
they provide and random checks during manufacture.

5. Application for protection under Article 13(2): No.

EC No: ES/00018/2000.06.15.

Date of receipt of full dossier: 15 June 2000.