Tocino el Cielo

The name of this dessert literally mean "bacon heaven".
As much as I love bacon this dessert has nothing to do with bacon. As for the genesis of this name I would love to find out.

ingredients
1 lb. sugar
12 oz. full cream or 1 can evaporated milk with cream (this is what is used here)
1 can condensed milk
1 tsp. vanilla
6 eggs
1/2 cup grated coconut
1 baking dish around 11'x6'\

Heat oven to 350 degrees
melt 1/2 cup sugar in small pan to caramelize
when completely melted pour in baking dish to coat the bottom and set aside
In blender place break the 6 eggs and blend for just about 3 secs
add the cream, vanilla, coconut and blend for another 5 secs
pour into baking dish with caramel
and bake in oven for about 1 hr.

When dish is done
get the serving tray and place on top of the baking dish
very carefully with towels of hot pads pickup up both and flip the dish onto the serving tray
place on a table and gently giggle the baking dish away from the serving tray leaving the caramel side as a top.
Cool and keep in refrigerator until ready to use.

Easy to make and truly delicious or as they say here Muy Rico!

enjoy

Turron de Dona Pepa Peruvian Dessert

This dessert is traditionally served in the month of October all over Peru. Nowadays, you can find all year long. The following recipe is a version of the traditional.
Turron de Dona Pepa is a brand name now, but has a religious history. Dona Pepa had an illness and she prayed to El Senor de Milagros ( Lord of the Miracle) he healed her and she wanted to show her appreciation. In a dream she was given this recipe and would take this turron to Lima in October to offer to El Senor. It became a tradition. This is a very enscapulated version. October is also known as the month of purple.

sugar/fruit filling

1 fig leaf
peel of 1 whole pineapple
4 cloves
4 small pieces of cinnamon bark
1/2 of an orange
3 cups water
1 peach peeled and quartered
1 membrillo quatered
1 ripe platano cut into thirds with skin
1 lb. granulated sugar ( this is for making caramelized sugar )
sprinkles and decorations for topping

place all of these (except for sugar and sprinkles) into a large pot and simmer until all the ingredients are very, very soft.
Let this simmer while you make the biscuit part.


Ingredients for biscuit part

2 lbs. flour sifted
1/2 lb. lard (room temp)
1/2 lb. butter (room temp)
1 cup hot water
few drops of deep yellow coloring
1 tbsp. salt
1 tbsp. anis
5 egg yolks
large baking sheets buttered

Heat oven to 350 degrees
1. In a bowl mix integrate the lard and the butter completely
2. then mix into flour until mixture is completely crumbly
3. mix in the anis
4. add the salt and the colour drops to the hot water
5. knead the dough with the water
6. knead in the egg yolks
7. roll dough into long cylindrical shape
8. cut into 1/3's and and each piece into 1/3's again should have 9 pieces
9. the pieces are then rolled with rolling pin into perfect rectangle shapes use a ruler if you need too. about 4" x 8"
10. With a ruler indent into dough horizontal lines about 1/2" apart do this to 4 pieces
11. the other five make indents vertical about 1/2" apart.
You can make these indents deeply
If you don't have large enough baking sheets you can bake them in batches
place dough on sheets and bake for about 20 mins. until golden
remove from oven and cool biscuits on cooling rack

back to fruit filling

the simmering fruit should be very soft
mash the fruits together
remove the pulp from the orange and throw away the skin
place the fruits into a strainer over a large bowl and remove the puree of fruit
this should yield about 1 1/2 cups of fruit. This must be very pureed no chunks.
Throw away the rest.

In a another pan place the sugar and heat until caramelised stirring constantly
when completely liquid remove pan from fire
add the fruit and mix well.

keep warm over bain marie

traditionally these turrons are served in boxes made to fit the biscuits as in picture

you could make these boxes yourself or get some from the craft store but be sure then, when making biscuits the dimensions you choose match the box.

place colored or plain plastic wrap on bottom of box with edges of plastic overflowing
then place 1 layer of biscuit, then liberally spread sugar mix
then another layer of biscuit with opposite indent pattern and another layer of sugar mix then biscuit then sugar mix on top.
You may decorate with sprinkles or whatever you like for your topping

These tasted really delicious especially if served when hot. But cold really good too.

Torta Helada

This pastry can be found in just about every pastry shop in Peru, I have also seen them in Ecuador. It is quite beautiful to look at and would certainly be the centerpiece of any dessert table.
I kept thinking different and fun birthday cake.
I found someone to show me how to make this cake!
I should add here that baking or pastries I have very little experience with, so you bakers may do this a lot easier than I did
Bear in mind you can change the fruits and the gelatin to match thus the colour.
It is made in two parts the bizcochuela or the cake part and the whippedcream/gelatin part. I find the bizcochuela texture very similar to angel food cake.

Ingredients for bizcochuela
4 extra large eggs
200g harina de mandioca (flour from yucca root)
250g granulated sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
pinch of salt
1 round baking pan 10" buttered

1. Separate eggs
2. Place egg whites in bowl
3. add pinch of salt
4. whip egg whites until soft peaks
5. Slowly beat in sugar into the egg whites
6. add 1 tbsp. anis liquer or a tbsp. of lemon juice
7. Add baking powder to mandioca and mix
8. add the flour to the batter in 2 parts and mix in with wooden spoon
9. pour batter into pan and bake at 350 for about 25 mins.
note - I was told do not open oven door before 15 mins or cake will fall.
10. Remove from oven, invert on cooling rack and let cool completely
11. When done there should a crust around the cake
12. when cooled, with a sharp knife remove the top crust
13. then remove the crust from around the cake in a circular motion leaving the cake intact.
14. again with sharp knife, carefully slice cake into two layers

Ingredients for Topping
75g pkt. of natural gelatin
200g pkt of strawberry gelatin
about 12 strawberries fresh and as perfect as you can find
3 cups hot water
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 cups whipping cream (here evaporated milk with cream is used)
1 round mold at least 10"x6"
large bowl with hot water too unmold the pastry

1. empty pkt of natural gelatin into 2 tbsp. of cold water
2. in a large bowl pour the 3 cups of water, strawberry gelatin and sugar
3. mix until gelatin and sugar is dissolved
4. add the natural gelatin to the mixture (if gelatin has gelatinized just heat in microwave for a few seconds to melt)
5. Mixture should be cool at least room temp.
6. pour some of the mixture into mold just enough to make about a 1/2" layer
7. wash strawberries, hull and slice lengthwise thinly and uniformly
8. arrange the slices around the edges (or however you like) on the layer of gelatin in the mold
9. again pour a little of the gelatin mixture to thinly cover the strawberry slices
10. Set aside
11. pour whipping cream into mixing bowl and whip until soft peaks
12. add the rest of the gelatin mixture to the whipped cream
13. mix in well
14. pour 1/2 of this mixture over the gelatin in the mold
15. Take the top layer of the bizcochuela and place on top of mixture
16. pour another 1/2 of the mixture left on top of the cake
17. place the last layer on top of the mixture
18. pour the last of mixture on top of the cake and smooth

19. place the mold in the freezer for about 30 mins
20. remove and leave in refrigerator for about 2 to 3 hours.

When thoroughly chilled
1. get a cake platter
2. with a sharp knife loosen the pastry from sides of the mold
3. get the bowl with hot water
4. hold the mold into the hot water just about 1 min. or less to loosen the gelatin from the mold
5. invert the mold over the cake platter and gentle jiggle the mold until the cake pops out. (holding your breath may help that the gelatin comes out perfectly) There will probably be some liquid gelatin flowing out as well wipe up immediately

You may now decorate the top with fresh strawberries sliced in half including tops around the edge or however you like.

Cake is ready to be served.
or keep in refrigerator until ready to serve

Enjoy!