Picarones Peruanos

Picarones are one of the favorite desserts for all Peruvians. The story goes that the Picarón had its origin in pre-Hispanic times, when the natives prepared a similar recipe based on sweet potatoes and squash, ingredients that were part of the diet of the Incas.

Whoever tries the Picarones for the first time will not be able to resist that sweet flavor and smell coming from the three main ingredients that give it that unique flavor, I mean the squash (pumpkin), the sweet potato (sweet potato or moniato) and the chancaca honey ( brown sugar).

A recipe for picarones 

-Preparation time: 30 minutes

-Cooking time: for each picaron 3 minutes

-Total time: 2 hours 30 minutes

-Diners: 10 people

-Calories: 280 kcal

INGREDIENTS:

-15gr of active dry yeast for example Royal

-4 tablespoons of sugar

-1/2 kg of pumpkin

-1/2 kg of orange sweet potato

-1 teaspoon of aniseed

-5 cloves

-2 cinnamon sticks

-4 cup of water

-1/2kg of flour

-salt

HONEY:

-225 g 1 cup of brown or brown sugar (depends on the country)

-2 cups of water

-Zest of 1 large yellow lemon, 1 lime (small and green) and 1 orange

-6 cloves

-1 cinnamon stick

-1 teaspoon of anise

-1 fig leaf. Although I know that it is very difficult to get abroad. If there isn't, we settle without it

DIRECTIONS:.

for the picarones

1.-First, peel the squash, the sweet potatoes, cut them into cubes so that they cook faster, and bring them to a boil in a pot with 3 cups of water along with the aniseed, cloves, and cinnamon sticks.

2.- When the squash and sweet potato are cooked, put them in a container, separating them from the other ingredients. Then you have to puree them, for that you can use whatever you have on hand and is easier for you, such as a fork, potato press or blender.

3.-Now make sure that the remaining cooking liquid is lukewarm (only two cups), put it in a glass container (preferably) and add the yeast, 4 tablespoons of sugar, a pinch of salt, mix well and let stand for 15 minutes approximately. The result after this time should be that the yeast has grown

4.-Let's go with the dough, in a bowl add the pumpkin and sweet potato puree, then the yeast prepared before and mix vigorously until completely mixed.

5.-Then add half of the flour and the remaining liquid of the pumpkin and sweet potato puree, mix vigorously until it is a smooth consistency, after a while add the other half of the flour and if you prefer a little water to facilitate the mixture . It is possible that you feel that you lack a little flour, if you think it is convenient add a little more but little by little without going too far. The final result is a smooth dough that does not stick easily to the hands.

6.-Cover the dough with a cloth or cloth and let it rest for approximately 2 hours.

7.-Now take advantage of this time to prepare the Chancaca Honey, the recipe is below.

8.- After 2 hours the dough must have risen. Then heat a frying pan and add oil generously, remember that the Picarones should float while you fry them.

9.-The oil must be hot but not too hot because the Picarones fry quickly and if you have it very hot you won't have time to put it on and take it off.

10.-Prepare a bowl with water and put it nearby so that you can wet your fingers between chopping and chopping.

11.-To fry, first dip your fingers in the water, then take some of the dough between your fingers, approach the pan and create a circle with a hole in the center (like a donut) and very carefully place it in the hot oil so that don't burn yourself If the hole does not appear or does not come out well, you can help yourself with a wooden spoon to do it.

12.-Make sure they don't burn because they fry quickly, when you see that they get a little brown, turn them around. But don't just stare! ? prepare another picaron and add it to the pan. It is up to each person to catch the rhythm between putting and turning without burning. I am sure that with practice you will become a "mischievous maste

for the chancaca honey

1.-Place two cups of water plus all the ingredients in a pot and cook for approximately 30 minutes.

2.-The time depends on the type of kitchen and the strength of the fire, keep in mind that the honey should not be too thick or too liquid.

3.-When it is ready, let it cool for about 5 minutes and place it in a container previously using a strainer so that only the liquid remains.

NOTES: 

It is very delicious to eat it in October, try to eat it hot