With the arrival of the Spaniards in the American territory, sugar also made its appearance. In America, sugarcane was completely unknown, although it quickly found suitable ground for development and today, countries like Cuba or Brazil are among the world's leading producers of this product.
A Pastry Nurtured with New Ingredients
Another fundamental ingredient in the development of pastry, especially Peruvian desserts, was the incorporation of milk and its derivatives into local cuisine. Dishes that are now considered typical of Peruvian pastry have milk among their main ingredients.
Along with the arrival of the conquistadors, various religious congregations also arrived in the land. The convents that settled here became the birthplace of dessert dishes crafted by the nuns residing in the various convents established across the continent.
Thus, in Peru, a series of desserts began to be consumed that resulted from the fusion of native American ingredients and those introduced by the Spaniards.
The Zambito Rice, a Typical Dessert
From the Spaniards, across almost all of America, we inherited the delicious rice pudding. A well-known dessert that in Peru took on its own variation and today, an even more authentic dish is enjoyed in Peru.
This dish, which is very nutritious and has a very pleasant flavor, is characterized by its brownish, almost black color – hence the name 'Zambito'. To achieve this, in Peru, white sugar was replaced with chancaca, a type of natural sugar made from the boiling of the extracted juices of sugarcane in tacha mills.
The Zambito rice also includes other ingredients that are not traditional in America but have contributed to making this dessert a highly appreciated delicacy. It includes raisins, cinnamon, and butter.
This dessert is served cold, in jars, and is a very pleasant variation of the traditional Spanish rice pudding.
The Purple Mazamorra
When the first Spaniards arrived in Peruvian lands, they observed that the Incas prepared corn in a very particular way that seemed similar to the food served to prisoners confined in dungeons, which is where the name for this dish comes from.
Later, the use of purple corn was incorporated, which initially was not used because it was considered a 'caprice of nature'.
Gradually, the maids working on Spanish haciendas began preparing this mazamorra by adding dried fruits such as prunes, apricots, and others.
Thus, the purple mazamorra became a dessert served at grand banquets held by the Spaniards settled in Peru, for other landowners and colonial officials.
Nowadays, besides purple mazamorra, Peruvians enjoy a dish that presents both purple mazamorra and rice pudding on the same plate. This unique dish is known as the 'classic' as it references the classic Peruvian football clubs, Alianza Lima and Universitario, through its colors.
Peruvian 'Buñuelos'
Los Picarones are another quintessential Peruvian dessert that clearly expresses the fusion of Andean and Spanish cuisines.
Ancient Incas prepared a type of sweet made from pumpkin and sweet potato. With the arrival of the Spaniards, sugar and wheat flour were added to this mixture.
Picarones are fried in hot oil, given the dough the shape of small rings, which are then sprinkled with sugar. This bears similarity to Spanish 'buñuelos'.
These Picarones gained popularity in Peruvian cuisine during the early years of independence. They were a staple in most celebrations, such as national festivals and religious processions.
The desserts we enjoy today in Peru evoke traditions that combined to satisfy the sweet palates of both Spaniards and indigenous peoples.
And not exempt from these traditions are the contributions made by African slaves brought to Peru, who, upon gaining their freedom, chose cuisine as a way of survival and cultural expression.
When savoring these exquisite Peruvian desserts, we pay homage to the rich culinary traditions rooted in these lands.
