PICARONES
Ingredients :
1.2 lb (½ k) sweet potatoes, peeled
1.2 lb (½ k) squash, peeled
1.2 lb (½ k) flour
3 tablespoons active dry yeast
2 cinnamon sticks
4 cloves
2 tablespoons aniseed
3 tablespoons sugar
Pinch of salt
2 eggs slightly beaten
Oil, necessary amount for frying
Syrup:
2 cups molasses
1 cup brown sugar
4 cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
2 allspice
Peel of 1 orange, cut into thick large strips
4 cups water
Preparation:
Fill water in a large pan with cinnamon, clove and aniseed. Boil for 10 minutes, approximately and strain reserving water. Cook sweet potatoes and squash in the reserved water until tender. Remove from pan and force through a strainer. Reserve 2 cups of cooking liquid. Allow to cool.
In a small size bowl, combine yeast, sugar, and reserved cooking liquid. Set aside for 15 minutes.
Place strained sweet potatoes and squash in a large bowl. Add salt, yeast mixture and eggs. Stir vigorously until combined. Fold in flour and continue stirring until a soft and smooth and elastic dough is formed. Dough will not stick to fingers. Cover with a damp cloth and leave dough to rise for 1 hour or until mixture doubles its volume.
Heat oil in a large skillet until hot. Take a small quantity of dough and form a ring. Fry in hot oil until golden on both sides. Repeat the procedure until all dough is used. Wet hands in salted water frequently to make dough rings more manageable.
Remove picarones from hot oil and drain in kitchen paper.
Serve immediately with syrup, (3 per serving).
Syrup:
Combine molasses, sugar, clove, cinnamon, orange peel, allspice and water in a medium size saucepan. Bring to a boil over low heat until mixture thickens to a syrup (200 °F – 110 °C). This process will take approximately 20 to 25 minutes.
Serve picarones with this syrup.
8 – 10 servings
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