Mexican sweets, Mexican flavors

Typical Mexican sweets represent a great tradition. Its elaboration comes mainly from the colonial era.

The convents were the origin of many of these dishes. The convent of Santa María de Gracias, founded in Guadalajara in 1586, is considered as one of the most influential in the creation of these sweets.

Typical sweets are part of the cultural manifestations of Mexico, especially its gastronomy. Its value is as much as that of music, charros or any other art. Here are three of the most representative, as well as recipes for their preparation.

Alegrías

Amaranth has been used in our country since before the arrival of the Spaniards. Natives considered it a sacred seed and used it in ceremonies. They elaborated figurines that the attendees later ate.

The ancient inhabitants of America knew about their nutritional properties and it was part of their daily diet. Its name in Nahuatl was Huautli and in Maya Xtes.

Although the church banned its use during the colony, it has recently seen a boom thanks to its nutritional value. In Mexico it is very popular in the form of alegrías. It has the advantage of being very easy to make and very tasty.

Here is a recipe:

Ingredients

2 cups popped amaranth

4 to 6 tablespoons of honey

Preparation

Melt the honey over low heat. Add the amaranth by gently mixing until the seeds are well covered.

Let the mixture cool in greased containers to prevent sticking. If you wish, you can add peanut or other seeds.

You may also like: Tuba, tejuino and other Vallarta delicacies

Dulce de arrayán

Myrtle is the fruit of the tree of the same name. It is native to northern Africa and southern Europe, from where it came through Spanish colonizers. In our area it is much appreciated as seasonal fruit and to prepare fresh water.

Also known as guayabilla in some regions, myrtle is also used to make sweets. Legend has it t that the version we know originated in the town of Ameca, Jalisco

The candy only carries the pulp of this fruit and sugar. You can do it by following this recipe:

Ingredients

1 kg of seedless and ground arrayan pulp

1 kg of sugar

Preparation

Wash, deseed and grind the myrtle. Then, add sugar. Place in a bowl over low heat while moving constantly. The paste has to come off the bottom of the container.

Remove from heat and continue beating until the paste takes shape. With wet hands, make little balls and roll them in sugar.

Borrachitos

No one is sure if the origin of the so-called borrachitos (drunkards) occurred in Puebla or Jalisco. Regardless, the fact is that we all love them.

The borrachitos are sweets of wined milk that can be combined with your favorite fruit. Or, in the case, with artificial flavors. The alcoholic content also depends on the tastes of each one. The best ingredients are rum, tequila and eggnog. Here is a popular recipe:

Ingredients

1 tablespoon of gelatin

1/2 cup of water

1/2 cups of milk

1/2 cup corn honey

2 cups of sugar

1/2 cup rum

1/2 cups cornstarch

1/2 cup of juice or pulp of your favorite fruit

Preparation

Mix the gelatin with the water to hydrate it.

Pour the milk into a pot. Add 1 1/2 cups of sugar, honey and fruit. Cook to boiling and stir to avoid spilling. Continue until it thickens and generates a uniform ball.

Add the hydrated gelatin until there are no lumps. Add the rum and remove from heat.

Flour a glass mold with the starch. Pour the mixture and rest until cool.

When the mixture cools, cut it, remove the starch with a napkin and roll them in sugar.