In Chile, there's always a discussion about who invented the hole in the middle of the picarones, the fried dough with a hole, made with squash, yeast, eggs, flour, and milk.
They are a traditional Chilean dessert that has won many hearts thanks to their authentic flavor and fluffy texture.
Picarones are a type of fried doughnut prepared with a base of squash, flour, yeast, and chancaca, which gives them their characteristic sweet and aromatic touch. Perfect to enjoy at any time of the day.
The name "picarones" refers to their small, round shape, perfect for tasting in bites. Give them a try!
Picarones
Ingredients
1 kilogram of Flour
500 grams of Squash
3 teaspoons of Baking powder
1 pinch of Salt
Milk
Oil for frying
500 grams of Chancaca (raw sugar cake)
1 ½ liter of Water
2 Cinnamon sticks
4 Cloves
½ teaspoon of Vanilla
Lemon or orange peel
Cornstarch or chuño
Preparation
Step 1 : Mix the flour with the baking powder and a pinch of salt, then add the squash (without mashing or sieving beforehand). Form a batter that is sticky and elastic. If the squash is not enough (as quality varies), adjust accordingly.
Step 2 : Add cold milk gradually until reaching the right consistency to form the picarones.
Step 3 : If you don’t have a mold, do the following: have a bowl of cold water handy, moisten your ring and middle fingers, then dip them into the batter to form rings of your desired size. Carefully drop them into hot oil and fry until golden, then place on absorbent paper.
Step 4 : In 1.5 liters of water, add all the spices (cinnamon, cloves, etc.) and boil for about 5 minutes. Then strain and return to the pot. Add 500 grams of chancaca and simmer until it dissolves.
Step 5 : Once dissolved, you can add two teaspoons of cornstarch dissolved in cold water, and pour into the boiling chancaca (if you add this while it's boiling).
Step 6 : Stir to thicken (cornstarch or chuño, also known as potato starch).
Step 7 : With the thickened chancaca ready, add the picarones and boil for 2 minutes (maximum 5 minutes). Serve hot on a deep plate, accompanied by a delicious hot chocolate milk.
Step 8 : If the chancaca is already thick, serve the picarones on a deep plate and pour the hot, thick chancaca over them. Accompany with a lovely hot chocolate milk.
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