Mexican Dessert Suggestions

[theperfectcookie]

Hi All,

Planning to prepare a mexicano dinner together with the family, and am totally clueless to what kind of dessert should round off the meal. Any suggestions for mexican-inspired desserts?

[DiningDiva]

Check out the book My Sweet Mexico by Fany Gerson, just released in mid-Sept. Probably the best cookbook on Mexican desserts I've seen, it includes desserts, candies, ice creams/sorbets and beverages. The convent desserts are in there, so are traditional favorites and some modern inventions. The odd and unusual ingredients and techniques are discussed and substitutions suggested, although most ingredients are readily sourced.

I've been cooking from this cookbook and the results so far has been outstanding. I made Pan de Muerto (I know not a dessert, but it is a recipe in the book) over the weekend and it was fabulous. Even my Mexican employees at work loved it

This cookbook is a little gem in a field with very little available in English. Well worth the purchase price

[janeh]

I bought My Sweet Mexico after reading your posts on another thread, D.D. Thank you for your great posts and photos as well as for the terrific recommendation. The book is beautifully done, comprehensive, great photos and brings back many wonderful (delicious) memories of places all over Mexico. Muchas gracias!

[chef chicklet]

I love coffee flavor flan, and tres leches cake. There's another recipe I've made for Cinqo De Mayo, that's fun. Serve it in huge wine gobles, colorful meringue puffs in white, pale pink and pale green. Pour a creamy custard sauce over all, gorgeous! Yummy!

[DonShirer]

I agree flan is traditional, but tres leches cake is yummy! Lots of recipes on the web.

[John E.]

If you are looking for a Mexican dessert you also couldn't go wrong with a flan.

[Cherylptw]

My favorite Mexican sweet is wedding cakes (cookies). They are simple to make, dough can be made into many different flavors and you can flavor the powdered sugar also. You can make the cookies a day ahead although you will have to coat in the sugar twice. Most recipes call for just butter, flour, granulated sugar, powdered sugar & a flavoring such as vanilla, plus whatever add in's you want.

I like to use ground or chopped walnuts or pecans & I've made flavors like lemon, lime, orange, banana, coarse black pepper, etc. These are great for a simple ending to a heavy meal.

[theperfectcookie]

Lovely suggestions everyone! Planning to go traditional this time & maybe go with the tres leches direction. amazinc, would love it if you can post your special recipe up! Thanks everyone.

[amazinc]

Here in the Hill Country of Texas, no Mexican meal is complete without a slice of "Pastel
con Tres Leches" (cake with three milks). There are numerous recipes out there but I use one from a restaurant in San Antonio that really takes the cake. I'll post it if you'd like it, otherwise, just google it and something wonderful will come up.

[janeh]

amazinc, I have a tres leches recipe that I like, but would be delighted if you could post yours. Thanks!

[ipsedixit]

I vote for Horchata ice cream.

[mamachef]

Grilled fresh pineapple rings with a drizzle of dulce de leche are fantastic, and good served on their own or w/ a scoop of good vanilla ice cream. A fruit platter of assorted melons w/ a squeeze of lime would be appropriate. One thing that's totally not traditional is: cut flour tortillas into wedges and fry them in med. high oil until crispy; drain on paper towels and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Serve w/ a fruit salsa (melon, cherries, berries, diced and mixed) or dulce de leche mixed w/ cream cheese (or both). If you have lots of time and feel like baking you could make alfajores (shortbread cookies w/ caramel filling), or you could do flan w/ spiced peaches, or a creme caramel which is essentially the same thing. Fried bananas (butter, brown sugar, rum, cloves, cinnamon) over butter-pecan ice cream are great.
Or do as our locals do and go to Costco and buy a Great.Big.Cake.

[yayadave]

I know this is an old thread, but I just bumpt into it. We had a dessert in Mexico that was marinated pineapple slices with coconut ice cream. I had it more than once on that vacation!! I'll bet the coconut ice cream would be splendid on the grilled pineapple. It might be interesting to sprinkle A LITTLE chili powder on the pineapple.