Mexican Desserts

Its richness of ingredients makes Mexican desserts a sweet and succulent choice. Heavy creams, pure vanilla and savory canela, a lightly powdered cinnamon with floral accents, are the signature elements of an authentic treat. The abundance of sugars, complex chocolates and tropical fruits available to the region bring a bit of culture to each tasty Mexican dessert.

Flan, densely rich vanilla custard topped with a layer of soft caramel, is the most classically famous Mexican dessert. It is served warm and drizzled with sweet caramel syrup. Churros are sugary, fried-dough pastries with hints of cinnamon and vanilla. These doughy treats have become a popular dessert in the United States and are often sold by street vendors and carnival stands. Tres Leche cake is the most commonly prepared Mexican dessert because of its simplicity and light texture. It is a moist butter cake soaked in three kinds of milk- evaporated, condensed and cream- and often topped with chocolate mouse or meringue.

Mexican desserts perfectly compliment the region’s bold cuisine. The spices known in many authentic dishes are balanced by creamy, soothing treats. The variety of Mexican desserts caters to the diverse sweet tooth of the region.

Recipes for Mexican Desserts:

FLAN

INGREDIENTS
½ cup plus 2/3 cup sugar or Sucanat
3 whole eggs
3 egg yolks
3 cups whole milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare an un-greased 9-inch round or square 1 ½ to 2 quart baking dish.
2. Cook ½ cup of the sugar over medium heat in a heavy, medium-sized saucepan, stirring continually for about five minutes with a long-handled wooden spoon, until it is melted and turns first golden and then very dark brown. (Use extreme caution! Cooked sugar is very hot and can burn the skin if it spatters.) Immediately pour the hot caramel syrup into the baking dish and swirl the pan until it coats the bottom. The caramel will harden at this point and melt again later as the flan bakes.
3. Gently but thoroughly whisk together the eggs, egg yolks and the remaining 2/3 cup sugar in a mixing bowl until smooth. Gradually whisk in the milk and vanilla. Pour the custard mixture into the prepared dish. Set the dish in a larger baking pan and fill the larger pan with hot water to come halfway up the sides of the baking dish.
4. Bake until a knife inserted two-thirds of the way to the center comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes. The center should still be slightly soft; the flan will finish cooking after it is removed from the oven. Cool in the water bath, then remove baking dish from water bath and refrigerate for at least one hour or up to eight hours.
5. Before serving, run a sharp knife around the edge of the flan to release it. Place a large rimmed serving plate over the baking dish and, using both hands, invert both dishes so the flan and the liquid sauce unfold onto the platter.
Serves eight.

CHURROS

INGREDIENTS
1 c. water
1 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 c. all-purpose flour
2 eggs
Peel of 1/2 lemon
Fat for deep-fat frying
Granulated sugar or powdered sugar
cinnamon

In a saucepan, bring water, sugar and salt to a boil. Remove from heat. Stir in flour, all at once, and beat until smooth. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until mixture is smooth. Spoon batter into pastry bag fitted with large star point. Pipe three-inch strips onto wax paper or floured surface. Add lemon peel to deep fat and heat to 375 degrees. Fry a few churros at a time for three to four minutes or until golden brown, turning as necessary. Drain on paper toweling. Roll in granulated sugar or powdered sugar and cinnamon. Makes 24.

TRES LECHE CAKE

INGREDIENTS
1 box Duncan Hines golden butter recipe cake mix
2 (12 oz.) cans evaporated milk
1 can condensed milk
16 oz. light cream
3 egg whites
3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. Karo syrup
1 tsp. vanilla

CAKE: Pour batter into large Pyrex or 9x13 inch cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until done. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan. In a bowl, mix the evaporated milk, condensed milk and light cream. Pierce the cake with a fork so it will absorb the milk mixture. Pour the milk mixture evenly over the cake.

MERINGUE: In a saucepan, melt the Karo syrup and sugar. Beat the egg whites until foamy. Continue beating as you slowly pour in the warm syrup. Beat until meringue reaches a thick consistency. Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Cover the cake with meringue and refrigerate.