Picarones are a popular Peruvian snack made from fried dough rings with sweet potato or pumpkin puree. They are often served with a spicy and sweet syrup made from molasses and spices. The dish is a blend of Japanese, Chinese, and Spanish influences with indigenous ingredients.
Picarones are a donut-like type of food: batches of fried dough formed into rings. These snacks are a staple of Peruvian cuisine, where they are either homemade or often served in small markets. Sweet potatoes and pumpkins are frequently used additives, as are molasses-based syrups placed on top of the snack.
Although they come in many variations, one characteristic of most picarones is their combination of spicy and sweet taste. This unique blend is derived from many of the common ingredients found in picarone recipes. Sweet additives can include sugar, brown sugar and molasses. Contributions like oranges, cinnamon, and limes can add a zesty note to desserts. Pumpkin is another common ingredient.
Creating picarones typically takes three steps. A mashed food paste, or puree, is typically created from the main component of the dish. For picarones, these star ingredients are usually sweet potatoes, which are sweet-tasting greens, and different squash shapes like pumpkins. Puree is usually created by boiling these substances until soft, then pressing and mashing them until they are pasty.
The puree mixes must then be combined with a paste mix. Components such as yeast, sugar and eggs are used to make the dough. When the dough and puree are combined, they need to be leavened.
The donut shape of picarones is created by hand. The dough pieces are formed into rings. They are then placed in a frying apparatus until cooked through. The final textures can range from soft and subtle to quite stiff.
Syrupy sweet toppings are the latest well-known aspect of picarones. Traditional picarone syrup is made with chancaca, a type of molasses. Spices and juices such as orange juice or lime juice can also be combined and then heated to a syrupy consistency. The syrup is typically sprinkled onto the hot finished product.
These desserts have gained prominence in the cooking styles of Peru. The cuisine of this region is a blend of Japanese, Chinese and Spanish influences, combined with the inclusion of indigenous ingredients such as sweet potato. Citizens of the region wanted a tasty fried snack that was inexpensive to make compared to expensive cream-filled options like buneulos. Thus, during the colonial era, the picarone was created and first introduced into Peruvian cuisine. Over time, it has become a popular companion to another Peruvian staple: meat-based anticuchos.
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