Written by:
peru.travel
Monday, October 12, 2020
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They are similar in their unique shape and texture to donuts. Picarones are one of the favorite desserts by all Peruvians, being considered one of the most traditional and exquisite of Peruvian pastries. Bathed in chancaca honey, this delicacy made from pumpkin and sweet potato has always been present in the popular culture of this country.
The art of its preparation is related to female hands; this is how various Peruvian artists show it, such as the painter Pancho Fierro in one of his pieces from 1850, the composer Felipe Pinglo Alva in his waltz De vuelta al barrio and the outstanding Victoria Santa Cruz with a Creole song in homage to the buñolera Mama Haydee. The picarón has been sweetening Peru for almost two hundred years and will continue to do so forever.
Picarones are one of the favorite desserts by Peruvians. Credit: PromPerú.
The beginning
The story goes that the picarón has its origin in pre-Hispanic times, when the ancient natives prepared a similar recipe based on sweet potatoes and squash, inputs that were part of the diet of the Incas. Later, with the arrival of the Spanish culture, new ingredients such as wheat flour and sugar were added, and it began to be prepared in the way it is known today: with a hole in the center.
So great was the success and popularization of this dessert among Lima residents that over time the recipe was passed down from generation to generation, especially among the cooks of Afro-descendant families. Many of these women were proclaimers who advertised their products with melodic verses or songs, being the picarón one of their best-selling desserts in religious processions such as the 'Señor de los Milagros'.
"Here are the hot picarones! They call me picaronera because I sell picarones but they don't call me a thief when I steal hearts ... Delicious! Delicious! Hot picarones! ... Round and toasted in their honey well bathed, they are provoking the rascals to old men and children", says the lyrics of The picaronera, a composition by the Peruvian artist Rosa Mercedes Ayarza, which shows the origin of this sweet tradition.
Currently, the consumption of picarones is so demanded by Peruvians and foreigners that it is possible to find in every corner of the Peruvian capital a street stall where they prepare it in a few seconds and serve it hot so that you can savor it and enjoy it fully.
Make them at home
To prepare the honey, cut the chancaca into very small pieces and pour everything into a saucepan. Add a cup of water and cook until completely dissolved. Then, with the help of a sieve, strain the preparation and pour it into a pot. It is important to strain the diluted chancaca to completely remove all kinds of twigs.
Next, add 250 g of sugar and a cup of orange juice. You can add more flavor to the honey by adding quince, apple or pineapple. Complement it with 2 fig leaves, 2 cinnamon sticks and 5 cloves. Cook the mixture over medium heat until you get a honey texture.
To prepare the picarones, add 750 g of diced sweet potato to a saucepan and cover with water. Cover the pot and cook over medium heat for ten minutes. Then, strain and reserve the cooking water. Crush the cubes on a plate until they form a kind of puree. Do the same with 1 kg of cubed pumpkin.
Picarones had its origin in pre-Hispanic times, when the natives prepared a similar recipe.
Credit: Adrián Portugal / PromPerú.
Once you have both preparations ready, pour the squash cooking water (200 ml) and sweet potato (100 ml), 2 tablespoons of anise, 60 g of brown sugar, 10 g of dry yeast into a deep plate. Integrate the mixture and add 500 g of the pumpkin puree, 300 g of the sweet potato puree, 650 g of unprepared flour, and continue stirring for a few more minutes. Next, cover the preparation and keep it for four hours in a warm place.
To make the holes in the dough, you must first dip your fingers in a glass of salted water (this will prevent the dough from sticking). When you have the rings ready, put them in plenty of oil at medium high temperature and wait for them to inflate. With the help of a toothpick, remove it and serve it on a plate. Bathe it with honey and you will only have to enjoy its special and charming flavor. Enjoy your dessert!
Sources: Redbus / RPP / Lamula
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