We are less than a month away from Sant Joan the festival, one of the most awaited festivities in the city, is becoming more and more present in the atmosphere. The bonfires, concerts and plans that surround this night, the shortest of the year, are especially exciting because they kick off the summer season, and to crown it, in Catalonia we have our own sweet for the celebration.
The sant Joan’s Coco is a spongy oval pastry dough, traditionally decorated with candied fruit, pine nuts and sugar, although there are varieties with cream, llardons or chocolate. Last Friday, May 31, in the run-up to Sant Joan, the 6th edition of the contest for the Best Coca de Sant Joan 2024 of Catalonia was held at the Old Factory of Estrella Damm.
The contest hosted more than 250 cocas from which to select the best in five categories: Traditional candied fruit and pine nut cake, cream and pine nut cake, llardonscoca creative coke and, finally, chocolate coke. In these last two categories, two bakeries from Barcelona were awarded prizes.
Where are the best cocas in Barcelona?
El Forn Gil ( C/ Navas de tolosa 263 and C/ Bofarull, 49), in the district of Sant Martí, has been the winner of the category of coca de chocolate the main highlights of this product were its combination of dough and the fact that it is a brownie coke, with a very balanced flavor and a very attractive appearance.
In the creative coke category, the award went to Nova Brunells (Carrer de la Princesa, 22), in Ciutat Vella. This well-known Barcelona bakery managed to surprise, with the originality of the shape and the use of fruits as protagonists, all the members of the jury, who were unanimously convinced of its success.
In addition to these two Barcelona bakeries, three other bakeries have been recognized in the three remaining categories. In the category of traditional coca of candied fruits and pine nuts was awarded the Pachi Larrea bakery, from Castelldefels.
In the category of cream and pine nuts coca, the prize went to La Palma Pastissers, with points of sale in Sant Cugat, Barberà and Sabadell. Finally, in the category of coca de llardons, the winner was Pastisseria Muntada from Castellar del Vallès.