Almond, cinnamon, cheese, lemon, gofio and even sweet potato. These are some of the ingredients most commonly used to cook Canarian pastries and homemade desserts. Recipes with a long history that have managed to conquer palates, generation after generation, and become a hallmark of the Archipelago.
Undoubtedly, in the Canary Islands we love sweets and tasting one of these typical desserts is a cultural experience full of tradition. Now that summer is approaching, there is nothing better than preparing some of these delicacies and pass the heat in the sweetest way. In this article we will tell you about 3 homemade Canarian desserts perfect to make at home and for that we will also leave you their recipe. Enjoy!
Three homemade Canarian desserts to make at home this summer
A tasty bienmesabe to accompany your favorite ice creams
Bienmesabe is a very traditional Canarian sweet in the island of La Palma and also in Gran Canaria, specifically in the municipality of Tejeda. This homemade Canarian dessert consists of a sweet paste made of egg yolk, sugar, cinnamon and delicious local almonds. In fact, this nut, the almond, has been cultivated in Gran Canaria since the 15th century and its exceptional flavor is present in many recipes of the island's gastronomy.
With a thick and creamy texture, bienmesabe is used to accompany other desserts such as flans and ice creams, perfect for this summer. A very sweet way to give a traditional Canarian touch to any sweet or dessert.
How to prepare it
Bienmesabe is a classic of the Canarian recipe book. Since it is a sweet and delicious thick cream, it is perfect to accompany any common dessert such as cakes, flans or ice creams, as we mentioned before. However, it can also be combined with multiple desserts giving a more surprising touch to our sweets. In the Canary Islands, it is typical to use bienmesabe in the topping of almond cakes.
Ingredients
125 grams of ground almonds, 125 grams of sugar, 250 milliliters of water, 2 eggs, 1/2 lemon and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder.
Elaboration
First, separate the yolks from the whites and reserve the yolks and grate the peel of half a lemon.
To make the syrup, put a saucepan on the heat and add the sugar and water. Heat and add the cinnamon and lemon zest. Cook for about 5 minutes. Add the almonds and stir until it begins to thicken.
Then remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Once cool, add the egg yolks and mix. Put the saucepan on the heat and cook for about 5 minutes over low heat. Finally, remove from the heat and let cool.
Serve this homemade Canarian dessert, bienmesabe, and enjoy it spread as a cream on toast, cookies, cookies or with your favorite ice cream.
A fresh gofio ice cream accompanied by a mousse
As we have mentioned on other occasions, gofio is the Canarian superfood par excellence. A food that, throughout history, has become a symbol of Canarian culture.
Gofio is a flour made from toasted cereals, mainly millet (as corn is called in the Canary Islands) or wheat, among other cereals. This humble food was a staple in the diet of the aboriginal Canary Islanders. In fact, due to its high nutritional value, it was essential for survival during times of famine.
How to prepare gofio ice cream
Gofio is a very versatile food that can be used in both savory and sweet recipes, in fact you can see other desserts made with gofio, the gofio mousse that we will talk about later. After all, gofio is toasted flour, so it is as versatile as flour, but with its peculiar toasted flavor you will prepare the most delicious homemade Canarian desserts.
Ingredients
5 egg yolks, 185 g sugar, 375 g whole milk, 125 g liquid cream, 1 cinnamon stick, the peel of a lemon, 50 g gofio de millo and 150 g cold milk.
Elaboration
First, pour the milk into a cauldron. Add the lemon peel, the cinnamon stick, 35 grams of sugar and the cream. Put it on the heat and stir it from time to time, until it starts to boil and then remove it.
In another pot put the egg yolks with the remaining sugar and beat them until they double their volume and you obtain a frothy cream. When the milk mixture is lukewarm, add it to the yolks while whisking. Then, put the cauldron back on the heat in a bain-marie and stir the mixture until it has a creamy custard-like consistency.
Then remove from the heat and beat with a whisk so that there are no lumps and wait for it to cool completely. Separately, mix the gofio with the cold milk, beat well and add it to the mixture. You can finish your ice cream in the refrigerator or manually and enjoy.
How to make a delicious gofio mousse
Gofio mousse is an excellent homemade Canarian dessert made with such an important local product as gofio. Sweet and delicious, there are many typical Canarian restaurants that serve a rich gofio mousse to top off a high quality menu. You can have it very fresh this summer and liven up any meal with this delicious dessert.
Ingredients
A 250 g can of condensed milk, a can of whipping cream (Emol type), 250 grams of gofio (preferably wheat or millet), chopped almonds and 3 eggs (to gain more consistency).
Elaboration
First, in a bowl, mix the condensed milk and the gofio without leaving lumps. Next, whip the cream. At this point add the eggs for a thicker texture.
Next, mix the two parts in the same container: the gofio with the condensed milk and the whipped cream. Once well mixed, they are distributed in several glasses or cups as individual servings. Finally, the chopped almonds are sprinkled on top as decoration. If preferred, they can be toasted to add a different touch.
If you are interested in the world of products made in the Canary Islands and its gastronomy and you want to know more, we leave you the link to our Gastronomy section.
