March 17, 2021
DESSERTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD – SPAIN
¡Hola, amigos y amigas! It’s been quite a while since we toured the world in search of the best desserts, hasn’t it?
Well, we bring good news and a ticket to Spain! You’ve seen its gorgeous tourist destinations and historical landmarks. You’ve heard Spanish words either in school or hit Spanish TV series. Now, allow us to share some delectable postres—Spanish for “desserts”—that you can make with family and friends over the weekend!
You’ve seen and heard the country—but have you ever experienced the authentic taste of Spain?
That tasty strip of fried dough rolled in cinnamon sugar and dipped in chocolate or caramel? We have the Spaniards (and Portuguese) to thank for it! Churros originate from Spain and Portugal but can now be found all over the world. Here in Australia, you can find it in malls, local markets, and many other places due to its great liking.
However, if that’s not the case in your area, the good news is it’s easy to DIY! Boil a mixture of water, sugar, salt, and vegetable oil, then add some flour. Put the concoction into a piping bag with a star-shaped nozzle (for the signature churro look) and fry until golden. Roll it in cinnamon sugar and dip it in the sauce of your choice. Voila! In approximately 20 minutes, you’ve got the perfect breakfast to go with your coffee or an afternoon snack that the kids would surely love.
Do you remember Leche Flan from our trip to the Philippines? It’s apparently a part of their culture as a result of the Spanish colonial period. It’s the same egg-based dessert that’s made even sweeter by topping with caramel sauce.
Once you’ve perfected the art of making Spanish flan, might we interest you in exploring other recipes? There’s actually a lot, depending on your preference! Pick your fighter: coffee, chocolate, pumpkin, cheese? What would it be for the next occasion?
Directly translating this to English would give you the slightly bizarre name of “fried milk.” Once you take a bite, though, you’d realize why it’s called as such.
At first, it might sound a bit impossible to fry milk, but upon whisking the main ingredients of milk, cornstarch, and sugar until it thickens, you’ll see that it isn’t. The resulting pudding will then be coated with eggs, then fried until it turns into a nice golden brown colour. It’s not as difficult as it seems, but it can be quite time-consuming since you need to allow for hours of refrigeration time for the pudding to solidify.
Not sweet enough? Level up and add a scoop of ice cream, roll it in cinnamon sugar (like churros!), or go for a zesty twist with a slice of orange!
If you loved the oliebol from our Netherlands blog post, we’re sure you’d enjoy the Spanish buñuelo just as much. Both are fried doughnuts that are usually dusted with powdered sugar and topped with other sweets. So how do you tell which is which? With oliebol, you’ll bite into a variety of dried fruit like currants and raisins. And as for buñuelo, you get either egg custard or pastry cream. Not just that—there’ll also be a faint taste of anise liquor for added flavour.
These are popular in Spain during the holiday season, but honestly? It’s such a delight that we can eat these any time of the year. Complement it with hot chocolate if you like, and let it be the perfect winter treat in the coming months!
Otherwise known as Basque Cheesecake, don’t be fooled as it isn’t like any other cheesecake that you’ve tasted before. What sets it apart from other cheesecakes is that its top is baked to a deep bronze while still retaining the light, airy cheesecake consistency that you’ve come to love.
It’s quick and easy to make, and you probably even have its primary ingredients already: eggs, sugar, flour, heavy cream, and of course—cream cheese. Depending on your preference, you can even add vanilla essence or lemon juice. Beat and mix everything together and pop the resulting mixture into the oven. Serve when cool and ta-da! You’ve got yourself a new favourite!
Well, that’s a wrap for this month! Which Spanish dessert do you plan to make? And what country do you want us to visit next? Let us know in the comments section below!
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