Sopaipillas
Sopaipillas
2 cups sifted flour
1 1/2 tsps baking powder
2 eggs
Enough water to make medium dough
1 1/2 Tbsp shortening
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
Sift all dry ingredients together
Cut in the shortening
Add water & make into dough
Let rest 15 min
Eggs may be omitted if you desire
Roll out dough about 1/8 inch to 1/4 inch thick
Cut into 3-inch rectangular shapes
Fry in grease at 375 deg F until golden brown; then turn them over
They puff up quite a bit
Serve warm with honey, honey butter or use the desired filling
Makes 24
Pineapple Filling
2 Tbsp cornstarch
2 1/2 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 (4 oz) can crushed pineapple
Confectioners’ sugar
In a saucepan, combine cornstarch & sugar; stir in pineapple
Cook mixture over medium heat, stirring until it boils
Continue stirring constantly while it boils for 1 min
Cool slightly
While sopaipillas are still hot, make a slit along one long side & one short side with a sharp knife
Gently lift top & fill with 1 tbsp of warm filling
Replace top & sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar
Serve warm
Honey Butter
1/2 cup butter (at room temp)
1/4 cup honey
With a mixer, combine butter & honey until well blended
Refrigerate the honey butter if you don’t plan to use it within a few hrs
Return the mixture to room temp before using
Little Ears
Little Ears (Orejitas)
Puff Pastry
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 cups (4 sticks) butter, ice cold
1 tsp Mexican lime juice
1 cup ice water
In an electric mixer bowl, mix flour & salt
Cut the cold butter into small cubes & drop into the flour
Mix on slow speed for about 4 to 5 min
Continue beating, & mix in lime juice & ice water until they have been absorbed by the flour, 1 min only
Dough will be a rough mass
Chill dough in the refrigerator for 20 min
Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface
With palms of your h&s ,push it into a rough rectangle
Brush with flour
With a rolling pin roll into a 12-inch rectangle, 1/2 inch thick
Fold the rectangle over 3 times, then refrigerate for 20 min
Remove from the refrigerator & roll into another rectangle 12 inches long
Fold over 3 times & refrigerate for 20 min more
Remove from the refrigerator & roll into a rectangle 12 inches long again
Fold over 3 times & refrigerate for 20 min
Transfer dough to plastic wrap & chill dough for 8 hrs or overnight
It can rest in the refrigerator for up to 3 days
Makes approximately 3 lb
When ready to make Little Ears, line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper
Preheat oven to 425 deg F
Using a rolling pin, roll the Puff Pastry dough over 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar until it forms a 12-inch square, 1/8-inch thick
With a sharp knife, trim edges
Place in the freezer for 5 min
Remove from the freezer & brush both sides of the dough with confectioners’ sugar
Bring the 2 ends of the dough toward the center & fold lengthwise
Now fold again lengthwise toward the center to make a 4-layer dough 12 inches wide
Brush both sides of the dough with more confectioners’ sugar
Place in the freezer again for 5 min
Remove from freezer
With a sharp knife, cut pastry into thin strips 1/4 x 3 1/2 inches, then close each pastry strip to form a butterfly shape or ears
Lay them on prepared cookie sheets in staggered rows, about 2 inches apart
Return to the freezer for 5 min
Bake for 25 to 30 min, or until golden
Transfer Little Ears to a wire rack to cool
They will be sticky, so do not place one on top of the other
Serve immediately or the same day
Makes 24
Chocolate Flan
Chocolate Flan
1 oz (1 square) bitter chocolate
1/4 cup water
2 cups evaporated or boiled milk
6 egg yolks
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 cup sugar, divided
Preheat oven to 350 deg F
Set large pan of water in oven, with mold in pan
Use a 1 1/2-quart oval casserole
In top of a double boiler over hot water, melt chocolate in the 1/4 cup water
Add to the milk beaten with the yolks & vanilla extract & the 1/2 cup of the sugar
Beat well
Caramelize 1/2 cup sugar over high heat in a small saucepan, stirring hard
When sugar begins to melt, reduce heat & continue stirring until sugar has all melted & is a light tan
Do not burn – it will turn bitter
Pour it into the bottom of the mold, & tilt to cover the bottom
Pour the chocolate mixture into the mold
Bake for 1 hour
Cool thoroughly
(Make it the day before use & let it firm in the refrigerator
To serve, slide a spatula around the upper edge of the custard to loosen; place a large platter with some depth over the casserole, & invert carefully
Let mold remain about 15 min so all the caramel sauce can drip down
Serves 6