We've rounded up 25 easy Guatemalan desserts that are sure to inspire your sweet tooth!
The Guatemalan Polvorosas Recipe is a traditional dessert that has been enjoyed by locals for generations. These delightful treats are made using a specific
These traditional Guatemalan desserts are such a treat! Spice up the end of your meal with borracho cake, torrejas, tres leches cake, and more delicacies from Guatemala.
Most traditional Guatemalan foods are based on Maya cuisine, with Spanish influence, and prominently feature corn, chilies and beans as key ingredients.
SOURCE: MARICEL PRESILLA. GRAN COCINA LATINA: THE FOOD OF LATIN AMERICA.
A creamy seafood soup featuring rich coconut milk, yucca and plantain
Most traditional Guatemalan foods are based on Maya cuisine, with Spanish influence, and prominently feature corn, chilies and beans as key ingredients.
Buñuelos are a popular Guatemalan dessert. Dessert fritters served with Agua Miel, a sweet syrup flavored with vanilla, anise seeds and cinnamon.
This quick and easy recipe for Guatemalan guacamole will take you less than 5 minutes to make and is the perfect appetizer with tortilla chips or as a side with tacos.
Maybe I should say "Guatemalan Style" Pan Francés. I never actually learned to make this bread in Guatemala, and from this remove of 40 years, it was only after watching a few Guatemalan videos and reading lots of recipes that I went and created my own version. Guatemalan Pan Frances Everyone has their own style, their own methods; the things that work best for them, based on how they have done things over time, past experience. This is how it was for me. Making all the various Guatemalan style breads, which I truly only went into with some dedication last November, as I had been craving Shecas for ages! I watched videos to see the various styles for forming the breads, and then I did what worked best for me. My methods may or may not actually be "true," And then again, no two bakers make things exactly the same. While any professional baker will have their methods, tried and true, and teach these methods to students, there will always, always be variations. I say all this, because when anyone reads my methods, but might see something elsewhere that works better, then go for it. Comfort in your own methods is highly important in baking and cooking. This is where enjoyment starts. Pan Frances Just Baked French Bread, and Pan Francés Okay, so when things actually come down to the fine brass tacks, there are not many ingredients in any French bread. True French bread needs nothing more than flour, yeast, salt and water. Additions, such as lard or shortening, if used, should be kept to a minimum. Sugar truly has no place in French bread, but most recipes I read for Guatemalan Pan Francés has at least a little of both of these latter ingredients. Forming the Dough When I lived in Guatemala, I was married to a Guatemalan man, and for a brief moment in time, he owned a bakery. Once, when he took me through it, my memory of what I saw was of a baker forming Pan Francés. He already had a line or "set" of the breads formed, with the deep "dent" down the center. He had a heavily floured baker's "couche" set at one side, with a deep pleat upwards. He flipped the line of formed breads so that the pleat in the couche was poking into the line down the center of the breads and there it would rise. I know the reasoning for this - the bread just wants to rise and fill that deep dent, and if allowed to do this, then the bread no longer looks like the Guatemalan Pan Francés, but instead becomes a single blob. Not Good. And not everyone has a handy baker's couche. Pressing the center of one set For a home baker, with less experience of making these breads, I was determined to get them right, and after seeing on many videos how very important it was to make that center in the line of breads is deep enough to stay open, I worked at it. Most videos show that once the line of usually 6 "sets" of breads (6 is easier for the home baker to manipulate). Once the set is formed and that center line pressed wide and flat, entire set of breads is lifted and flipped over onto a good bed of flour. The set is flipped back upright to rise, but even then, if the center line starts puffing, flatten it again with the side of the hand or a rolling pin and sprinkle more flour into the crease. This center crease has to be much wider than one would think. Make sure it is at least 1½-inches wide, minimum. Pan Francés Makes about 4+ "sets" of 6 Pan Francés In a bowl, mix flour, yeast, sugar and salt together. Add in the lard and the water, reserving some of the water aside in case it is not needed. Begin stirring with wooden spoon or hands, incorporating the dry ingredients and lard together. Once dough comes together, turn out onto a clean, floured surface and begin kneading. Adjust the dough with more flour or more water if needed. The dough should be tacky, but not outright sticky after a few minutes of kneading. Knead the dough until it forms a windowpane: take a piece of the dough and stretch it wide between the hands. It should be able to hold without tearing and stretch thinly enough to show light through it. For me, this took 16 minutes. Grease a clean bowl and set the dough into the bowl, turning over once to grease both sides. Cover the bowl with plastic film and set aside to rise until nearly doubled. This can take 40 minutes to 1+ hours, depending on the ambient temperature. Grease two or more baking sheets, or line them with parchment. Two sets of 6 breads set to rise Begin breaking off portions of dough from 1.5 to 1.75 ounces each. Each of these portions will be one "set" of breads. Take one portion and form it into a tight ball, then set on the work space and using the side of your hand, press and roll back and forth in the center, to form two conjoined lumps. Ensure there is plenty of space between the lumps, but without breaking the balls apart. Set aside, then begin again with another piece of dough, form a tight ball and roll with side of hand to make two nicely separate, conjoined lumps. Set this second set against the first. Repeat until you have 6 sets of dough, lined up with the centers aligned. Use a rolling pin and rock it slightly down the center length to ensure good separation. Create a heavily floured area the size of the dough set and lift the entire set of 6 and flip it upside down onto the heavy flour. Flip it back over, right side upwards. press the center again, with hands or rolling pin, and then sprinkle flour down the center line. Place the set of Pan Francés onto one of the prepared pans, to one side. Repeat this process with the remaining dough balls. There should be a minimum of 4 sets of 6 breads, though there could be an off-number set left. Cover the heavily flour dusted breads with plastic film and set aside to rise for about 40 minutes. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. On a rack at the top of the oven, set an oven safe pan for steam-water. Once oven is ready, have one cup of boiling water ready at hand. Set one tray of bread into the oven on center or lower rack. Quickly, pour the cup of boiling water into the steam pan on upper rack. Close the oven door and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until golden brown. With more trays, repeat adding boiling water to the steam pan on upper rack, then bake additional trays for the same amount of time. My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.
These deliciously crisp cookies can be found in bakeries all over Guatemala. The traditional treats have the buttery flavor of shortbread with a sprinkle of sesame seeds for extra crunch. Not overly sweet, champurradas are a fabulous accompaniment to an afternoon cup of coffee or tea.
Most traditional Guatemalan foods are based on Maya cuisine, with Spanish influence, and prominently feature corn, chilies and beans as key ingredients.
Laurel and I stumbled upon the intriguing Guatemalan Champurradas Recipe. These delightful treats are a staple in Guatemalan cuisine and are enjoyed by locals
Chocolate (xocolatl) was originally developed by the Mayan people of southern Mexico, long before the Spanish conquest. This creamy hot chocolate is based on an authentic Mexican drink recipe and h…
You can find variations of Nuégados throughout Central America. In Guatemala, they are balls of orange-scented (sometimes anise), flour based dough that are fried and coated in a sugar glaze. Neighboring countries often make Nuégados
A slice of banana bread is a simple snack; when served topped with butter or honey, it is an accompaniment for a salad or light meal; when topped with whipped cream or ice cream, it becomes dessert. From FoodinGuatemala.com.
The ultimate list of the most popular Guatemalan food includes traditional Guatemalan dishes, desserts, breakfast, street food, and drinks.
In this article, we will tell you everything you need to know about the sweet and crunchy Guatemalan cookies known as champurradas.
In my previous post, I mentioned that I have been creating a breads cookbook, just for myself; a way of getting together all my bread recipes. As I was collecting all the recipes I had made to date under the chapter for Guatemalan Breads, I started looking around the internet once again and found some more to try. The recipes I am posting here are, in the main, from a YouTube video by Recetas y Pasteles Lili. The whole video is in Spanish, and it is long, but very thorough. My recipe has minimal changes, and less steps, plus, it's in English, but my gratitude to "Lili" for the recipes and instructions. Gusanitos, Gallinitas and Besitos, Guatemalan Breads These breads, all three of them, are made from the same dough, and the same batch of sugar paste. They are fairly sweet, sweeter than most of the Guatemalan breads. But, they are really cute breads. One shape is called Gallinitas, or "Little Hens." So called, because they supposedly represent the coxcomb (wrong sex, but hey!) with their little floppy looking tops. Another of these breads is called Besitos, or "Little Kisses," as they have an "X" cut into the top. The third of these breads are called Gusanitos, or "Little Worms," so called because of the segmented-looking bodies. If these don't sound inviting, just wait. Since they are all made from the same dough(s), once the dough is made and ready, they simply need to be shaped. There is an interesting little trick to forming each of them, and only for the Besitos did I change the method, as Lili's method seemed cumbersome. These breads are just delightful with a cup of coffee, be it for breakfast or afternoon snack. Once trying out the methods they do become very easy. I hope you'll give them a try. Pan Dulce (Gallinitas, Besitos and Gusanitos) Makes 18 sweet rolls Make the SUGAR PASTE: with hands or a small mixer, beat together the flour, sugar and lard or shortening until it is cohesive. Add in a tablespoon of water. It should have the consistency of dough. If not, add a tiny bit more water at a time until it can be formed easily, rolling out or making into a ball. Divide the Sugar Paste into 3 equal portions, by weight, form each into a ball and set back in the bowl, Cover the bowl to prevent drying and set aside. MAKE THE DOUGH: Place all ingredients for “dough” except the water into a heavy duty stand mixer or into a large bowl if mixing by hand. Run the mixer with paddle until the lard had dispersed well. Add in most (not all) of the water and begin mixing with the dough hook, or by hand. The dough should be very soft, but not so soft it cannot be handled. Add the remaining water if needed, to achieve this soft consistency. Knead the dough for 5 to 8 minutes, then allow it to rest for 20 to 25 minutes. Turn the dough out onto a greased surface and divide the dough into 3 equal portions, by weight. Each portion will make 6 rolls. Set two portions aside, covered. Divide the last portion of dough into 6 equal pieces by weight. To make “GALLINITAS:” Make each of the 6 pieces of dough into a log about 6 to 7-inches long. Take one of the balls of sugar paste and equally divide the ball into 6 pieces. Take one of these pieces of the sugar paste almost, but not quite, as big as the piece of dough and roll it into a similar length log. Set the sugar paste log on top of the dough log. Flatten the two pieces together, to a width of about 1.5 inches. No need to lengthen the log. Now, using a small knife or a metal bench scraper, slice through the stack, from the center to the wide edge, repeating these cuts about every quarter-inch. From one short end, begin to roll up this piece, until you come to the end of the length. The bread is formed sideways, so turn the dough so the floppy ends are now the top and set on a parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat this process for the remaining five pieces of the dough, setting them well-spaced, on a parchment lined baking sheet. Gallinitas, or Little Hens ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To make “BESITOS:” Take the second portion of the dough and further divide it into 6 equal pieces by weight. Roll each piece into a ball and flatten the ball with hands to about 3½ to 4-inches in diameter. Take the second of the balls of sugar paste, further divide this ball into 6 equal pieces. Take one small ball of the sugar paste and set it in the center of the dough circle, photo 1. Bring the dough up and around the sugar paste to completely encase it, pinching the ends so they stay closed. Turn the ball over so the seam is on the bottom, photo 2, and set this onto a parchment lined baking sheet. With clean scissors, snip across the top of the ball, photo 3. Now snip the top in the opposite direction, across the first cut, photo 4, and forming an “X in the dough, having cut through so the sugar paste is exposed, photo 5. Repeat this process with the remaining 5 balls of dough from this group, setting them well apart onto the parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush the tops with egg wash, avoiding the open, cut surfaces. Besitos, or Little Kisses ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To make “GUSANITOS:” With the last of the 3 portions of dough, divide this into 6 equal pieces by weight. Take one piece and form a ball. Set the ball onto the oiled surface and flatten to a large, long oval, approximately 5 x 8”. With the last remaining sugar paste ball, divide into 6 equal pieces. Take one piece of the sugar paste and flatten as much as possible between the hands, then set this piece onto one end of the long oval of dough, leaving about ½-inch of dough exposed at the end, photo 1, below, ensuring that the paste just reaches the side edges. Make slices through the sugar paste and dough, starting about a third of the way up the dough, cutting into strips downward about every quarter to one-third inch apart, photo 2. Begin rolling the dough from the short end without the sugar paste, pressing each side to seal as you roll, photos 3, 4, 5. Once the roll is complete, photo 6, the cuts will reveal the sugary insides and the segments will somewhat resemble a worm, or “gusanito.” Repeat this process with the remaining 5 pieces of dough and sugar paste. Set each Gusanito onto parchment lined baking sheets, well apart. Brush the dough with egg wash, but avoid getting the egg into the cut surfaces. Set aside, covered, and proof for at least 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake all the breads for 15 minutes, then rotate the pan 180 degrees and bake for 10 minutes more, for a total of 25 minutes. If breads are on separate pans, bake one tray at a time. Gusanitos or Little Worms My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.
I had never made Polvorosas before today. I lived in Guatemala for 12 years and loved these little cookies so very much, but never had a recipe to make them. It makes me wonder why? But, it's never too late to start, I say. Polvorosas get their name from the root word, "Polvo", meaning dust or powder. They are little shortbread cookies dipped in confectioners' sugar. One bite and the crumbs and powder go everywhere. Hence the name. Similar cookies are known as Mexican Wedding Cakes. I love the apt name of Polvorosas better. Polvorosas I was thinking about these little cookies as I have been working through various Guatemalan recipes lately. I have been eating black beans like no tomorrow, and I made Rellenitos de Platano, or plantains with a black bean filling last week. I made enchiladas; no resemblance at all to what we know in the U.S. as an enchilada. Another thing on the agenda before I am over this Guatemalan food kick is Empanadas de Manjar. Many have heard of Empanadas as a meat filled pastry, but the ones I ate in Guatemala were a little orangey colored pastry filled with a cornstarch pudding. Delicious. I haven't made them for probably 30 years. I am craving my little antojitos (snacks, or cravings). packing into mini muffin tins Back to the Polvorosas. I know from many years of baking that they are a shortbread cookie. Shortbread, if any of you are unfamiliar, is a dough made with no eggs. Often it is a simple, basic three ingredients: flour, butter or shortening and sugar. I chose to go with a little cornstarch to lighten the flour a bit, and I used a combination of butter and shortening; butter for the flavor, and shortening for stability. The next thing I wondered was how to get the right shape? These cookies are always about 1 1/2 inches in diameter and about 1/2 inch high. Making shortbread stick together in any shape is not easy. Then a had a flash of brilliance! Mini muffin tins. unmolded from mini muffin tin I took the "dough", more like a bowl of crumbs, and packed some into a mini muffin cup. Just one, to try out my theory. I pressed it in well, then turned over the tin, holding it from the opposite end and sharply rapped the tin down onto the cutting board. I lifted the tin, and there was the little formed cookie, pretty as you please. Okay, that worked. I continued on, using one row of 4 mini cups at a time, then turning it over and rapping sharply to get them out. Worked like a charm. Making these, I started out using pounds and ounces to measure the ingredients, though I translated that over to cups. Pounds and ounces is a more accurate measurement, of course. Here is my recipe. Polvorosas Makes 35 to 40 cookies 8 ounces all-purpose flour (1½ cups) 4 ounces cornstarch (¾ cup) 9 ounces sugar (1 cup) 5 ounces butter, room temperature (10 tablespoons) 4 ounces shortening, room temperature (8 tablespoons) Place granulated sugar into a food processor or blender to make it very fine. Cream the butter and shortening, then add the sugar and cream well. In another bowl, sift or whisk together the flour and cornstarch. With a wooden spoon mix the flour and cornstarch mixture into the creamed mixture, with a pinch of salt. This will never be a cohesive dough like other cookies, but crumbs that can be pressed together. Using a mini muffin tin, pack the crumbs into the little wells, then turn the muffin tin over, holding from the opposite side. Rap sharply down onto counter or cutting board to release the cookies. You may try to make other forms out of this mixture, but the mini muffin tin idea worked really well. Gently place cookie forms onto a baking sheet. Bake these in a preheated 350 degree oven for 15 minutes. Dredge in confectioners' sugar while still hot from the oven. My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.
