The nation has taken tacos to our hearts. We’ve embraced enchiladas. We’re besotted with burritos. But here in the UK, the world of Mexican desserts remains something of an unknown, and something we’re perhaps yet to fully fall in love with.
Change all that today; desserts from Mexico are decadent but light, super indulgent and at times incredibly complex, offering a refreshing change from the usual French inspired stuff. With that in mind, here are 7 Mexican desserts you need to try today.
TRES LECHE CAKE
A classic Mexican dessert, this one, that sees a cooked then perforated cake soaked in a syrup made from three types of milk – evaporated, sweet condensed, and full fat or cream – before being topped with a sweetened whipped cream flavoured with vanilla. The result is an incredibly moist crumb and surprisingly light finish, and is a real treat for milk lovers. Serve chilled.
ARROZ CON LECHE
Rice pudding, Mexican style. Arroz con Leche is a deceptively simple dessert to make, since it uses just four key ingredients: condensed milk, sugar, rice and spice. That said, to make a brilliant Mexican rice pudding, timing is everything; you want the rice to be giving and unctuous, the cinnamon (and often, cloves) to have properly infused into the liquid, and the sweetness well rounded.
Some cooks choose to add extra toppings – a candied raisin here, a chopped nut there – but we think there’s something rather beautiful about the simplicity of the unadorned version. That said, one of the great things about Arroz con Leche is that it’s up to the chef to decide its accoutrements. Choose wisely.
FLAN MEXICANO
Sweet condensed milk also makes an appearance in the Flan Mexicano, which is ubiquitous across Latin America, not only as a dessert but as a sweet treat throughout the day. A dark, heady caramel lines the bottom of a flan mold before a blended flan mixture of egg yolks, corn starch and sweet condensed milk (some like to flavour with orange zest) is poured on top.
After baking for an hour or so, the flan is allowed to cool before being refrigerated, then inverted to display that gloriously burnished caramel topping. Some love to garnish their Flan Mexicano with fresh fruit, while some choose to eat this airy, creamy delight just the way it is.
BUÑUELOS
Forget tostadas; our favourite flat, fried Mexican tortilla is buñuelos, a simple but delectable dessert that sees rolled, fried dough topped with cinnamon sugar.
The recipe uses a similar method to traditional flour tortillas, but the addition of sugar, both in the dough and as a dusting, turns these buñuelos into a sweet treat defined by the air pockets and bubbles that form across their surface when deep fried. It’s common to see these discs eaten with a syrup flavoured with cloves and cinnamon for dipping…and who are we to argue? These are also sometimes served as balls.
PALETAS
Cinnamon, condensed milk, egg… Our list of Mexican desserts has so far drawn from a fairly narrow list of ingredients, so we’d thought it was time we turned our attention to paletas for something totally different.
Mexico is a country with some of the best and most unique fruits in the world, with Maracuyá (a type of passion fruit), pitaya (dragon fruit), soursop, huayas and nopales all growing here abundantly alongside more well known – and more recently introduced – fruits like mango, Cantaloupe melon and pineapple.
This abundance leads to paletas, a frozen popsicle of sorts made from blended fruit that boasts the most vibrant flavour and colour, ideal when you need something refreshing as a quick pick-me-up or cool-me-down on a hot and steamy day typical of Mexico.
TAMALES DE DULCE
Sweet tamales – a kind of dough made from masa and flavourings that is then steamed in a corn husk – are a dessert that comes out especially for celebrations in Mexico. Sure, they may sound simple, but these are intricate, sophisticated desserts, make no mistake.
Flavoured according to the occasion and the cook’s desires, with common versions including pureed pineapple, raisins, sweet condensed milk, and chocolate, however you choose to flavour your Tamales de Dulce, rest assured that the eating experience is a suave and satisfying one.
Read: 6 IDEAL places to eat great Mexican food in London
CHURROS
We had to finish here, with Churros. Although it’s likely they originated in Spain and Portugal before making their way to Mexico with Spanish colonies, the delicious deep fried dish is now ubiquitous across the country, and it’s easy to see why; they’re simple to make and incredibly satisfying.
Above all else, they’re a textural delight; the deep fried batter sticks and cinnamon sugar both adding to a crispy exterior and a pillowy middle, which is only made possible by the fact they’re made to order.
Then, there’s the dipping sauces…oh, the dipping sauces, of which dulce de leche or hot chocolate are the most popular. And the best part? It’s perfectly acceptable in Mexico to enjoy Churros for breakfast…result!