Puebla candies, a colonial heritage

The city of Puebla is known for its traditional confectionery and has more than 300 candies delicacies.

After the arrival of the Spaniards to Mexico, various items were introduced. Such as sugar cane, cattle, among others; the typical Puebla candies originated from the fusion of Arab, Spanish and indigenous cultures.

They were created in convents during colonial times. At first, the confections served to thank their benefactors, later, they realized they could obtain great benefits if they sold them.

The candies from Puebla are handmade in artisanal practices.

Camotes

The popular camote is a candy made out of sweet potatoes. They are wrapped in paper and can be found in a variety of colors.

Ingredients:

• 1 kilo of sweet potato.
• 1 kilo of sugar.
• 1/2 liter of water.
• 5 drops of orange or lemon essence.
• 1 pinch of vegetable coloring, green or orange.

Preparation:

1. Boil the sweet potatoes in water; once cooked, peel them and mash them with a fork until a dough is formed.
2. Dissolve the sugar in 1/2 cup of water and put it over low heat until a syrup is obtained, once it is ready, mix it with the sweet potato puree; the mixture is put on the fire stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the dough is slightly sticky.
3. Let it cool a little and add the essence and the coloring, mixing it very well.
4. Spread the dough on a flat surface and let it cool.
5. With your hands, form the camotes and then sugar them; let them dry, then wrap them in waxed paper and store them in a cool place.

Borrachitos

Small rolls of flour and sugar with a little bit of liquor, hence the name borrachitos or small drunks.

They can be prepared in different flavors: strawberry, rompope, pineapple and lemon.

Tortitas de Santa Clara

The tortitas are small, cookie shaped confections that have a sweet and colorful filling. Created in the Santa Clara convent, they are a traditional dessert sold in most Puebla locales.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup of water.
• 125 grams of powdered sugar.
• 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda.
• 3 egg yolks.
• 380 grams of lard.
• 750 grams of flour.
• 5 sheets of brown paper.
• Flour for flouring.
• 500 grams of pumpkin seeds.
• 1 tablespoon of sifted ash or tequesquite.
• 500 grams of sugar.
• ½ cup of water.
• ¼ liter of milk.

Preparation:

1. Dissolve the powdered sugar and baking soda with half a cup of water in a bowl; add the butter and mix with a wooden spoon until it is well creamed. Stir in the flour and mix well with your hands until a dough forms.
2. Flour a sheet of brown paper and place a little dough on it; cover with another sheet of floured paper and beat very carefully until the dough is half a centimeter thick.
3. Remove the paper on top, cut the dough with a 6 cm. diameter round cutter and carefully remove it to place it in baking tins lined with brown paper.
4. On the edge of each tortita (pancake) formed, put a strip of the same dough to form a border; mark all around with a fork to make a spiky design.
5. Let the tortitas rest for 24 hours and then place them in a preheated oven at 200º C for 12 to 15 minutes or until they are well cooked.
6. Let them cool and then fill them. To make the stuffing, soak the seeds a day before in half a liter of water mixed with the ash.
7. The next day, wash them very well and grind them on a metate or stone to remove the green skin; wash them again, dry them with a cloth and grind them. Cook the sugar in half a cup of water until it reaches the hard ball point, which is recognized when putting a little honey in a glass of cold water and this forms a ball of hard consistency.
8. Add the ground kernel, let it boil a little, remove from the heat and whisk. When it has cooled a little, add the milk, continue whisking until it is cold and then fill the tortitas.

Muéganos

They are small wheat flour pillows fried in vegetable oil, covered with sugar and piloncillo caramel. They have a slight cinnamon flavor.

Ingredients:

• 50 grams of piloncillo.
• 1 kilo of flour.
• 1 egg.
• 1 teaspoon of salt.
• 400 ml. vegetable oil.
• ¼ liter of water.

For the syrup:

• ½ kilo of piloncillo.
• 1,250 ml. of water.
• 1 cinnamon stick.

Preparation:

1. Crush the piloncillo, dissolve it in the water and mix it with the flour, the egg and a teaspoon of salt.
2. Knead until you get a consistent dough that you will extend with a rolling pin until it is very thin.
3. Cut squares of 1.5 centimeters per side, fry them in the oil and let them cool; bathe them with the piloncillo syrup, prepared in advance, boiling the remaining piloncillo and cinnamon in a saucepan with water, until it has the consistency of thick syrup.
4. The squares are then glued together with the honey, five by five, to form the muéganos, which are left to dry on the board.

Alfeñique

Alfeñique is an Arabic word used to refer to a sugar paste cooked and stretched into very thin and twisted bars.

It is currently used for traditional candies that are placed in the ofrendas (offerings) or altars of the Día de los Muertos celebration (Day of the Dead). These candies are commonly shaped like skulls, angels, fruits, and animals such as deer, sheep and rabbits, among others.

In Mexico, alfeñique candies are only made in Puebla, Oaxaca and the State of Mexico.

Alegrías

This candy is made with amaranth and piloncillo.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of toasted amaranth.
• 1 kilo of piloncillo.
• 1/2 liter of water.
• Juice of 2 lemons.
• Chopped nuts.

Preparation:

1. In half a liter of water boil the piloncillo, once it is boiling, add the lemon juice and let it boil for more than 20 minutes.
2. To know if it is ready, add a drop of honey in a glass of water, it should make a little ball at the bottom, when this happens stir for a few more minutes and then remove from heat.
3. Mix the honey carefully in a large bowl with the amaranth and walnuts. It is stirred quickly with a wooden spoon and emptied into a wooden square of 55 x 55 centimeters in diameter by 1.5 centimeters high.
4. Then it is pressed with a wet roller or a bottle, until it evens out, it is cut into squares with a knife, wetting it every time a (quick) cut is made. Let it cool; once it hardens, you can have it with a glass of cold soymilk.

Marzipan

Ingredients:

• 4 cups of peeled and toasted peanuts.
• 4 cups of powdered sugar.
• 4 tablespoons of water.

Preparation:

1. Finely grind the peanut until obtaining a paste; then, mix the ground peanut with the sugar until forming a compact paste and compress the paste inside the molds squeezing well; then unmold carefully.
2. Wrap the product with the paper and label indicating the name of the product, date of preparation and expiration date.

 

 

 

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POB/LFJ