Picarones

Picarones

Origin
Region or state	Peru
Details
Type	Doughnut
Main ingredient(s)	Squash, sweet potatoes, chancaca syrup

Picarones (or Picaron singular) is a Peruvian dessert that originated in the Viceroyalty of Peru. It is somewhat similar to buñuelos, a type of doughnut brought to the colonies by Spanish conquistadors. Its principal ingredients are squash and sweet potato. It is served in a doughnut form and covered with syrup, made from chancaca (solidified molasses). It is traditional to serve picarones when people prepare anticuchos, another traditional Peruvian dish.

Picarones were created during the colonial period to replace buñuelos as buñuelos were too expensive to make. People started replacing traditional ingredients with squash and sweet potato. Accidentally, they created a new dessert that rapidly increased in popularity.

Picarones are mentioned in the book of a famous Peruvian writer, Ricardo Palma. In his book, Tradiciones Peruanas, (lit. Peruvian traditions) he mentions this dessert. Picarones is also featured in traditional Latin American music and poetry.

This dessert is mentioned in the autobiographical memoirs Remembrances of thirty years (1810-1840) (Spanish: Recuerdos de treinta años (1810-1840)) by Chilean José Zapiola, who described that picarones were typically eaten in Plaza de Armas de Santiago (Chile) before 1810.

References

• Compton, M. D. April 20, 2004. Peruvian Traditions: Ricardo Palma’s Latin American Historic and Folkloric Tales. United States. AuthorHouse. ISBN 1-4184-1046-2
• (Spanish) Plevisani, S. 2005. Dulce Pasión. Lima, Perú. Quebecor World Perú.
• (Spanish) Ada y Maricarmen. February, 1997. El Arte de la Repostería. Lima, Perú. Biblos

External

• http://baking.about.com/od/breakfast/r/pumpkin.htm
• http://www.yanuq.com/english/recipe.asp?idreceta=392