Uncharted Earth | Two of Colombia's Top Holiday Desserts You Must Try

photo by Mario Carvajal

Two of Colombia's Top Holiday Desserts You Must Try

by : Nicole Brown posted : 02 December 2017

If you are going on your Colombian adventure during the holiday season make sure to be on the lookout for these top two desserts that you absolutely must try. And if you’re not, you can still whip up one of these Colombian treats that will impress your dinner party guests and keep your home smelling delicious throughout the cold months.

Enyucado or Colombian-style Cassava Cake

Originating from Colombians living along the Atlantic Coast, this cassava cake is equal parts sweet and savoury. And don’t be fooled if you’ve had a Filipino or Vietnamese cassava cake in the past, this Colombian twist tastes completely different and is an experience all on its own so be sure to not pass it up!

Now onto the nitty gritty… So how do you make this delicious explosion of warmth and holiday cheer? It’s easier than you think. Just grab the below ingredients, mix all together and pop it in the oven at 400 F. Truly, there’s nothing to it.

Ingredients:

3 cups of shredded yuca or cassava root. Frozen is A-OK.

1 1/2 cups of shredded queso fresco (this is the secret!)

1 cup of sugar. Substitutions are welcome.

1 tbsp of melted butter

3/4 cup of grated coconut (to add a bit of sweetness)

1 cup of coconut milk (who doesn’t love coconut?)

1 tsp of ground star anise and then full ones for garnish

Natilla can be made in a solid or a creamier version (just add less cornstarch).

Natilla or Colombian Christmas Custard

If you’ve already whipped up your very own enyucado and are looking for more of a challenge, then Natilla is the perfect recipe to try. Natilla is a custard or pudding that is known in many Latin American countries as the go-to holiday dessert. However, each region has its own twist on the recipe so if you’ve had one elsewhere, it’s still going to be a new experience for you to try the Colombian version.

Ingredients:

1/2 gallon of milk (soy or substitute is absolutely fine as long as it has a creamy base)

1 pound of panela (unrefined whole cane sugar; you can also use brown sugar as a substitute)

2 Mexican cinnamon sticks

1/2 pound of cornstarch

2 tbsp of unsalted butter

1/2 cup of raisins

1 cup of shredded coconut

Ground cinnamon for garnish

Once you have your ingredients, start off by simmering the milk with the sugar and a cinnamon stick. Then slowly add cornstarch and make sure to stir, stir, stir – nonstop for 20 minutes to be exact. It’s just like making tapioca pudding. Once the mixture is thickened, add in the coconut and other sweet ingredients and then you’re ready to pour the mixture into a pre-greased baking dish. Then, just walk away and let it completely cool. Finally, get fun with it! Grab some fun cookie-cutters and stamp out holiday shapes and pop them in the fridge. Yum!

Don’t pass up the chance to try these delicious desserts if you are visiting Colombia during the holiday season. And if you are doing a tour with Uncharted Colombia these treats are the perfect post-adventure reward!