Central American Dessert Recipes

Aroz De Leche - Rice With Milk Pudding

• 1 cup of white rice
• 2-3 cups of water
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 tbsp of grated lemon, lime, OR orange peel
• pinch of salt
• 4 cups of milk
• 1 cup of water
• ½ cup of raisins
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• powdered cinnamon

Once the water has been absorbed add the milk and sugar. Continue simmering. Stir the mixture constantly until it starts to thicken. Add the raisins and vanilla and cook for 2 more minutes. Remove from heat and let cool about half an hour. Pace in individual serving dishes and refrigerate. One big Tupperware container works too. Sprinkle with cinnamon before serving.
 
 

FLAN (medium difficulty custard)

• 1 ¼ cups of sugar
• 4 cups of milk
• 1 tbsp of vanilla
• 1 pinch of salt
• 4 eggs
• 3 egg yolks
• ½ tsp of corn starch
• 1 tbsp of cold water

I suggest you wear oven mitts for the next step. Immediately pour it into a 9 inch baking dish. Tilt the dish from side to side so that the sugar coats the sides as well as the bottom of the dish. The sugar will harden very quickly once removed from fire so try to work quickly. Don't worry if most of the sugar pools in the bottom of the dish instead of coating the sides. Set it aside. Now go wash the pot in which you melted the sugar. If you don't do it now, the stuff will harden and become difficult to clean. Or you can soak it overnight in water like I do, and the hardened sugar will dissolve.

Combine the milk, the rest of the sugar, the vanilla, and salt. Bring to a boil uncovered.. Lower heat and continue cooking until the milk mixture has been reduced by half. Turn off the heat and cover the mixture so it remains warm.

Vigorously beat the eggs and the egg yolks. Mix the corn starch with the water. Add to the egg mixture. Slowly add this mixture to the milk mixture stirring constantly. Slowly pour the combined mixture into the baking dish that has the caramelized sugar. Cover it lightly with aluminum foil. Bake in a water bath for 35-40 minutes. When done, refrigerate until serving time.

To bake something in a water bath you take the baking dish that contains the stuff you are cooking and place it in larger empty baking dish. Then you add water to the larger dish. Take for example a flowerpot and the dish below it that collects water; only in this case you are adding water to the dish underneath and not the actual flower. Is this step really necessary? Well yes and no. There will be a definite difference in texture and a slight different in taste if you skip it. Will it be a total disaster if you don't use a water bath when indicated - no. But since its a relatively easy step, why skip it?
 

Note on pan size: When I make this dish I use a metal mixing bowl. Hence its deep, but no where near 9 inches. Don't worry to much about the size, just make sure its large enough to hold the mixture. If appearance is important to you do not use a square baking dish. Once removed from a square dish the shape tends to fall apart.

Hint: Goya makes an instant version that comes in a small box like the instant pudding. I happen to love it. But you still have to caramelize the sugar. Just don't tell the guests.
 
 
 

Cuban style flan

In a small saucepan heat the sugar and water over low heat. Stir constantly, preferably with a wooden spoon until the sugar melts and just begins to turn a light caramel color. Immediately pour into a 1 quart mold. You may want to oil the mold ahead of time. Soufflé molds work well but I have also made this in an oven proof enameled covered iron saucepan.

Blend all the remaining ingredients. Pour this mixture into the pan that contains the sugar mixture. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Place in a water bath and bake in an oven preheated to 350 degrees. Bake for about 1 hour or until the tip of an inserted knife comes out clean. Chill overnight without removing the cover. Invert and serve.

Diplomatic Flan

Prepare the flan as indicated in one of the recipes, adding to the mixture all the extra ingredients listed except the pound cake. Pour the mixture into the mold containing the caramelized sugar. Gently place the pound cake slices evenly over the mold to cover the entire mixture. Bake or refrigerate as indicated.

Unlike the other flan recipes, this actually looks good if a square mold is used.

Jericalla (an easy quick custard)

• 4 cups of milk
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 ½ tbsp of corn starch
• 4 egg yolks

Pastel de Tres Leches (Three Milk Cake)

!!!!! not for the diet minded!!!!

    1 cup of flour
    1 cup of white granulated sugar (you may want to use less if you are also making the
    frosting, this is the traditional amount but may yield a cake that is too sweet for some
    taste)
    2 tsp baking powder
    7 eggs (yes seven, that is not a typo)
    ½ tsp of cream of tartar
    1 tbsp of vanilla
    3/4 cup of whole milk
    1 small/regular can of evaporated milk
    1 small/regular can of sweetened condensed milk
    1 cup of milk (whipping) cream

Preheat the oven to 350F. Separate the egg yolks and whites. Beat the whites with the cream
of tartar until stiff peaks form and set aside. In another bowl mix the egg yolks. Add the
sugar and vanilla. Add the flour, baking powder, and whole milk. Mix well. Add the egg
whites and mix lightly, just enough to incorporate the mixture. Pour mixture into a greased
and floured (or use non stick baking spray) and bake for 45 minutes. Let cool completely
and cut into three layers.

Mix the evaporated milk, the condensed milk, and the whipping cream. Arrange the first cake
layer on a serving dish, preferably one that is not completely flat, since there may be some
run off in the next step.

Pour one third of the milk mixture over the first cake layer. Put the second layer of cake on
top of the milk mixture and once again pour 1/3 of the milk mixture over it. Arrange the
final cake layer and pour the remaining milk mixture over it. Cover the entire cake with the
frosting recipe that follows. Refrigerate until serving.

Note on can size: Depending on the brand, the amount may differ slightly so I didn't get any
more specific. They are usually 12 - 16 ounces each. One can has always worked for me,
give or take an ounce or so. The stuff is sweet, so you may want to opt for the smallest size
available or not use all the contents.

Glaseado para Pastel Tres Leches - Three Milk Cake Frosting

    6 egg whites
    pinch of salt
    ¼ tsp of cream of tartar
    ¾ cup of water
    1 ½ cup of sugar
    grated peel of one lime

Beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar until it forms stiff peaks. In a separate small but
heavy pot, mix the water, sugar, and lime peel. Cook over a medium high heat until a candy
thermometer reads 230F. Remove from heat. In a random dripping motion pour the egg
white mixture into the pot. Mix for about 6 minutes by hand or until the mixture has
become firm.

Picos from Nicaragua

regular bread dough
cane sugar - In the US often sold under the brand name Sugar In The Raw
quajada - a powdery soft cheese from Nicaragua

This is what I miss the most about Nicaragua. Its almost impossible to duplicate in the US because quajada is so difficult to find, even in Hispanic neighborhoods. And I never found another cheese that comes close in terms of texture or taste. Make it with your favorite cheese instead.

See my other recipes from Nicaragua