Thoughts of Thanksgiving dinner usually evoke memories of family, friends, stuffed turkey and cranberry sauce. While, like much of 2020, the gathering of family and friends this coming Thursday may be smaller and more remote, the turkey and cranberry will still be there, as will another course that also has played a big role in the traditional meal - dessert. More often than not, it is usually the prosaic pumpkin and pecan pies. Dessert diversity, however, still holds sway in places, such as in the homes of many Mexican-Americans. Be assured, pumpkins and pecans still make their appearances, but so too will pan dulce, arroz con leche and flan - in English, sweet bread, rice pudding and a custard tart.
Unlike so many other holidays that tend to segregate people by religion or region, Thanksgiving is a non-secular holiday, warmly embraced by Americans of all stripes, no matter from where they hail. It is a holiday that does not emphasize differences, but rather helps to show off commonalities, including food. The food itself at this distinctly American harvest feast demands some uniformity (the turkey, cranberry and pumpkin), yet also welcomes individual differences (soy glaze on the turkey, curried potatoes, chorizo stuffing). When it comes to the end of the meal, it is hard to think of a dessert that can be, at the same time, both diverse and almost emblematic of commonality than pan dulce or its cousins in simplicity arroz con leche and flan.
CHS freshman, Valeria Oropeza-Oyos describes pan dulce as, “Mexican pastries’ which we have often and always as part of our Thanksgiving dessert with atolé, a traditional beverage made from masa, a type of corn flour, with chocolate, milk and a stick of cinnamon.” Of all the different kinds of Mexican pan dulce, Conchas are the most popular and identifiable. Here, from Valeria, is a recipe for Conchas:
Ingredients for the bread:
dry active yeast - 3tsp
water -½ cup
warm whole milk - ½ cup
butter - 5 tbsp
salt - ½ tsp
ground cinnamon – ½ tsp
egg – 1
sugar – 1/3 cup
Ingredients for the topping:
butter – 4 tbsp
sugar – ½ cup
vanilla extract – ½ tsp
flour – ¼ tsp
food coloring of choice
Directions:
Dissolve the yeast in the water with 2 tbsp of sugar; wait ten minutes for it to foam. In a food processor, cream the remaining sugar, egg, butter and shortening. Add in flour, salt and cinnamon. Add warm milk and yeast foam; combine until a ball of dough forms. Oil a large bowl. Place dough in bowl, and cover in warm place for an hour until dough rises to nearly double.
In a bowl, mix ingredients for the topping and set aside. After the hour of rising for the dough, form from it a dozen separate balls roughly the same size and place on a baking sheet. Press down on top of each ball to give the Conchas its distinct shape. Separate the topping mixture into a dozen balls. Squeeze each ball of topping in hands to the shape of a tortilla, and place one on top of each ball of dough. Use a knife to cut grooves in the topping. Let rest and rise for one more hour.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake for 20 minutes, or until lightly golden brown. Enjoy for dessert.
“Arroz Con Leche is a classic Mexican dish, as easy to make as it is delicious. It is simply a sweet variation of common rice pudding that is cooked with sweetened condensed milk and topped with cinnamon,” according to Valeria. “It can be served warm or cold; either way is tasty.” Flan is a creamy custard baked into a pie that, according to freshman Dulce “has been a part of Herrera family Thanksgiving for as long as [she] can remember.”
When planning this Thanksgiving with immediate families, and then again with larger groups of friends and family next year and in all the years to come, think about expanding traditional fare by exploring new flavors and foods. If you are not Mexican-American, consider adding to your dessert table pan dulce with atolé, arroz con leche or flan. Remember, when coming together to be thankful and celebrate food, having something new to taste and discuss will only help you to be even more thankful for having one another. Happy Thanksgiving!
What is your favorite dessert? Leave a comment below.
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