During the holidays, my parents' kitchen always overflows with wonderful homemade gifts. One friend always brings them baklava, and another sends a special chocolate nut fudge. We look forward to them every year. Homemade food gifts are always appreciated, and it is especially fun to bake something unusual, something that your recipient is unlikely to prepare themselves. South American cooking is rich with traditional holiday foods, as well as treats for giving all year round. Browse this list of ideas, and you might be inspired to start a new food gift tradition.
Marian Blazes
Marian BlazesThis thick caramel sauce is used as a filling for cakes and other confections throughout South America. Imported dulce de leche can be quite costly, while the homemade version tastes better, and is easy to make from inexpensive ingredients. It only requires a little patience and a lot of stirring. Present it in a pretty jar with a ribbon and a few suggestions on how to enjoy it, such as in between cake layers, or as a filling for churros, or as an ice cream topping.
Homemade Dulce de Leche, Step by Step
Chocolate Dulce de Leche
Marian BlazesThese beautiful marzipan candies have a shiny caramel shell that gives a delicious crunch when you bite into them. These look difficult to make, but they are actually easy and quick. Just be careful not to get the hot caramel on your fingers - it stays hot for a while. These candies will not keep their hard candy coating for more than a day in humid climates.
Marian BlazesA list such as this would not be complete without something chocolate! These truffles look and taste decadent, but they are made with cocoa powder and condensed milk. You might think of them as budget-conscious truffles. They don't taste like Godiva, but they have a chocolately caramel flavor and a creamy texture that are all their own. Beware: they are quite addictive.
Marian BlazesTorta galesa is an unusual and delicious fruitcake served at Welsh tea houses in Patagonia, the legacy of Welsh settlers in the area. It's a dense cake loaded with rum, molasses, dried fruits and nuts - just the thing to sustain you through a cold night of caroling or sleigh rides in the snow. It makes a pretty gift with its white icing, and like most fruitcakes, it keeps for many days - it seems to mellow and improve with age.
Marian BlazesThis is a show-stopping cake, perfect when you need to bring a dessert to a holiday meal. It's delicious in the summer, but it brightens up a festive winter meal beautifully. It's made with frozen passionfruit pulp, available year round.
Marian BlazesTres leches ("three milk") cake is one of those desserts that everyone seems to love. These cupcakes are called cuatro (four) leches because they are filled with dulce de leche, a thick caramelized milk sauce. The cake itself is drenched with a mixture of cream, condensed milk, and evaporated milk, and then topped with italian meringue (whipped cream is delicious too). If you're short on time, you can prepare this as a sheet cake, and either omit the dulce de leche, or drizzle it warm over the finished cake.
Marian BlazesSlices of seasonal quince are slowly cooked in sugar and cinnamon, bringing out the wonderful flavor of this unique fruit. Candied quince is delicious as a pie filling, or aserved alongside strong cheeses like
manchego or blue cheese. It's also delicious in this
savory quince tart with queso fresco.
