Coca Masegada

What it really is

A traditional Andorran sweet coca associated with local festivals and family celebrations.

Coca masegada is a traditional Andorran sweet flatbread, one member of the wider Mediterranean and Catalan coca family. The name refers to the kneaded preparation; coques appear in many shapes and can be sweet or savoury, open or folded. The sweet masegada is associated with popular festivals and celebrations. It is also related to practical home baking: leftover bread dough could be flattened, sweetened and baked rather than discarded.

A common recipe combines eggs, flour, anise, sugar, milk and a splash of liquor. The dough is worked until thick, similar to bread dough, then divided into thick pieces, rounded and flattened. The surface is scored in a square pattern and pricked with a fork to limit puffing as it bakes. Some recipes use water instead of milk or leave out anise; others brush the top with oil and scatter sugar over it before baking. These variations change both flavor and allergens, so the recipe should not be assumed for every bakery.

The result is a substantial sweet bake rather than a frosted cake or a thin, crisp biscuit. It is cut or broken into portions after baking and can be served with coffee or tea. It is linked with Easter, Christmas, Epiphany and Sant Joan celebrations and belongs to the broad regional family of coques. The name should stay visible on menus, with “sweet flatbread” as a short explanation for guests who do not know it.

How it's served

• Cut into pieces once cooled enough to hold its shape.
• As a sweet snack with coffee or tea.
• At seasonal festivals and family celebrations.

How to write it on the menu

• Keep the name Coca Masegada and explain it as a traditional sweet bake.
• Describe the actual shape and flavouring offered by the bakery.
• Confirm the recipe’s flour, egg and fat before listing allergens.
• Mention anise, liquor and the milk-or-water choice when those details are known.