Dominican Republic Dessert Recipes

Flan (Caramel cream)

1. 8 egg yolks
2. 2.5 cups evaporated milk
3. 2.5 cups sweetened condensed milk
4. 1 teaspoon of vanilla
5. For caramel
6. 1/2 cup white sugar
7. 1/2 cup water

Melt sugar in saucepan over low heat. Add water and stir until it turns into a thick, dark caramel syrup. Pour it carefully into a prepared baking pan.

Then mix together egg yolks, sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk. Stir in the vanilla. Pour into baking pan, whilst not to disturbing the layer of caramel. Bake in oven in hot water bath for an hour.

Finally loosen edges of the flan, place a serving plate on top of mold and invert. Chill before serving.

Corn Pudding

1. 1 vanilla bean
2. 2 quarts of milk
3. 2 ounces of cornstarch
4. cream of coconut for milk
5. 1/2 pound of granulated sugar
6. 2 to 15 ounces cans creamed Corn
7. 2 ounces of ground cinammon

In a blender combine the cream corn,cream coconut then half of the milk.

Add the rest of the milk, sugar with vanilla bean and pass the ingredients through a medium strainer then bring to a boil.

Next reduce to a simmer, and add the cinnamon then cook gently for 10 min. In a little bit of water to dissolve the corn starch.

Turn off heat at once when pudding has thickened, remove the vanilla bean and fill into the individual cups.

Dulce de leche cortada

This version of dulce de leche is common in Cuban and Dominican cuisine. Cortada, meaning cut or choppy, refers to the somewhat lumpy style and texture of the dessert.

Ingredients:

1. 6 cups of whole milk at room temperature
2. 1 cup of Sugar
3. 1/4 teaspoon of lemon peels
4. 1/4 cups of raisins
5. 1/2 cup of lemon juice at room temperature
6. 2 eggs
7. 1 large cinnamon stick

The white of the milk will ultimately harden and float in thin caramel. Turn off the heat and let cool. Chill before serving.

Dulce de Coco (Coconut Sweet or coconut delight)

Ingredients:

1. 1 large coconut
2. 1-1/2 lbs. of sugar
3. 1-1/2 quarts of fresh milk
4. 1 splinter of cinnamon (what is a splinter of cinnamon? A stick?)
5. Rind of one lime
6. 1 cup water
7. Several clean glass jars with tight lids.

First clean the coconut of its brown crust and wash well. Grate and add one cup of water. Set to boil adding sugar and cinnamon and all of the milk and lime rind.

Cook for 1-1/2 hours stirring constantly over low flame. When the mixture is gooey in consistency and comes up clean from the bottom of the pot, your candy is ready, but first let it stand to cool. Fill jars and refrigerate. Serve chilled.

Arroz con leche (Dominican rice pudding)

This should take just under an hour to prepare and serve 4-6 people.

Soak the rice in 2 cups of water for at least for a few hours.

Ingredients:

1. 4 cups of evaporated milk
2. 6 cups of water
3. 1 cup of sugar
4. 1/2 cup of long-grain rice
5. 4 cinnamon sticks
6. 1/4 cup of raisins
7. 2 tablespoons of butter
8. 1/2 teaspoon of salt
9. 1/2 teaspoon of cloves
10. 1/8 teaspoon of ground nutmeg

Preparation: Put the remaining 4 cups of water in an iron pot, add the cloves, cinnamon sticks and the salt. Bring to the boil and then add rice.

Turn heat down to medium temperature and stir. Adjust water if required and when the rice is tender add the milk and half the sugar. When it starts to boil add the raisins, butter and the rest of the sugar.

When the mixture reaches a pudding-like consistency turn off the heat and pour immediately into small bowls or ice cream glasses. Sprinkle the nutmeg on top and let cool down to room temperature. Chill before serving.