Peru · South America
Picarones
Squash-and-sweet-potato rings, lightly fermented, drowned in fig syrup.
Peruvian picaronessquash and sweet potato doughnuts
The Chemistry in This Bake
Letting the squash-based batter ferment slightly before frying, producing the characteristic ring shape and texture.
Learn the full technique →Ingredients
- Squash purée
- Sweet potato purée
- All-purpose flour
- Instant yeast
- Sugar
- Anise seed
- Warm water
- Frying oil
- Chancaca syrup (or honey)
Method
Cook and purée squash and sweet potato, then cool to lukewarm.
Mix the purées with flour, yeast, sugar, anise, and warm water into a soft dough.
Cover and let ferment until bubbly, 1-2 hours.
With oiled hands, form rings and slip them into 185 °C oil.
Fry until deep golden, flipping once.
Drain and drizzle generously with warm chancaca syrup.