Buñuelos & Natilla

Buñuelos are little round savory "doughnuts" made with white cheese. Natilla is a delicious cross between pudding and candy, with cinnamon and raisins. Natilla reminds me of arroz con leche, but with coconut instead of rice. There are many versions of natilla, but typically it is prepared with milk, thickened with cornstarch, and sweetened with panela, a molasses-like sweetener that is a byproduct of sugarcane production. Some families add fresh coconut, others add a bit of rum or aguardiente for extra flavor.
Bunuelos and natilla are essential Christmas treats in Colombia, often served with hot chocolate on Christmas eve.

Bunuelos can be found all over South America, and are not always associated with Christmas. They can be regular sweet doughnuts, and come in various shapes, sometimes filled with pastry cream or dulce de leche, dusted with cinnamon sugar, or drenched in syrup.

Recipes...

Easy Natilla Navideña
Natilla with Panela and Coconut
Buñuelos
Panettone - Holiday Fruitcake