Picarones

Picarones with Chancaca Syrup

Peruvian squash-and-sweet-potato doughnuts, crisp-edged and custardy within, drenched in a clove-and-cinnamon raw cane syrup. A colonial-era street-food classic from Lima.

Prep

25 min

Cook

35 min

Total

60 min

Serves

4 (makes about 18 picarones)

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •300 g (10½ oz) kabocha or butternut squash, peeled and cubed, kabocha is most traditional; butternut is the closest widely-available substitute
• •150 g (5¼ oz) orange-fleshed sweet potato, peeled and cubed
• •300 g (10½ oz) all-purpose flour, plus extra for adjusting dough consistency
• •10 g (1 tbsp) active dry yeast, or 1 packet (7 g)
• •120 ml (½ cup) warm water (about 38 °C / 100 °F), for blooming the yeast
• •1 tsp anise seeds, lightly crushed
• •60 g (¼ cup) granulated sugar
• •1 tsp fine salt
• •1 litre (4 cups) neutral frying oil, vegetable, canola or sunflower; enough for 4–5 cm depth in a heavy pot
• •250 g (8¾ oz) chancaca (raw cane sugar block), cracked or chopped; substitute with piloncillo or, if unavailable, dark muscovado
• •250 ml (1 cup) water, for the syrup
• •1 piece cinnamon stick, ≈5 cm
• •3 whole cloves
• •1 strip lemon peel, wide strip, white pith removed
• •1 tsp fresh orange juice, optional, brightens the syrup

Steps

1. 1 Make the chancaca syrup first: combine the chopped chancaca, 250 ml water, cinnamon stick, cloves and lemon peel in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves, then reduce heat and cook 12–15 minutes until slightly thickened and a spoon leaves a brief trail. Strain, discard the spices and peel, and keep the syrup warm. It should coat the back of a spoon; if it reduces too far, loosen with a splash of hot water.
2. 2 Steam or boil the squash and sweet potato together until very tender, 15–20 minutes. Drain well and mash until completely smooth with no lumps — any chunks will clog the piping tip. Let cool to lukewarm (about 40 °C / 104 °F).
3. 3 Bloom the yeast: stir yeast and 1 tsp of the sugar into the 120 ml warm water and let stand 8–10 minutes until foamy. If no foam forms, discard and start again (the yeast is dead).
4. 4 Make the batter: in a large bowl whisk the flour, remaining sugar, anise seeds and salt. Pour in the bloomed yeast, add the lukewarm squash–sweet potato purée, and mix with a wooden spoon until a soft, sticky dough forms. It should drop slowly from a spoon — looser than bread dough, stiffer than pancake batter. If stiff, add water 1 tbsp at a time; if runny, dust in more flour.
5. 5 Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and let the batter rise in a warm spot for 45–60 minutes, until visibly puffed and airy. Do not over-proof or the rings will lose their shape in the oil.
6. 6 Heat the oil to 170–175 °C (340–350 °F) in a heavy, deep pot — use a thermometer; this is the correct frying range for a crisp exterior without greasiness. Line a tray with paper towels.
7. 7 Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip, or a sturdy plastic bag with a 2 cm corner cut. Pipe a ring onto a lightly floured spoon or directly into the oil, using a second oiled spoon to help it slide off: squeeze a circle of about 6–7 cm diameter, sealing the ends.
8. 8 Fry 3–4 rings at a time, turning once, for 2–3 minutes total until deep golden on both sides. If they brown faster than that, the oil is too hot — lower it; if they soak up oil, it is too cool — raise it.
9. 9 Drain on paper towels for 30 seconds, then transfer to serving plates and spoon the warm chancaca syrup generously over the top. Serve immediately — picarones are at their best within minutes of frying.
10. 10 Safety notes: keep the oil temperature steady throughout frying to avoid sogginess or scorching; never drop wet batter into hot oil; and do not taste the raw batter because of the flour–yeast mixture — cook it through fully.