Introduction
As we move to live in distant countries, we start losing the art of fine dining of our origins, as it happens in many cases with our languages.
In a world characterized by speed and carbs, the famous hamburger has become a great symbol of practicality and the health clubs the symbol of health. For those who live from appearances and superficiality, the art of good eating has become a diet obsession and the indifference or lack of knowledge of many young people have made them overlook the pleasures of good eating. Thousands of years of culinary culture are being replaced by highly technical food production.
This is causing the disappearance at our modern food table of delicious dishes and recipes that end up being replaced by a chemical simulation of meals.
Since man began to prepare meals thousands of years ago, he has developed amazing taste and through the centuries has preserved the memory of great dishes that are repeated and refined in each generation.
My books have compiled some of these recipes from Puerto Rico and The Caribbean that are part of these memories and should accompany the great moments of our lives.
Cornmeal Cake
The Cornmeal Cake, so well known in Puerto Rico and the islands of the Caribbean, is one of the favorite desserts in every home. It’s not bread but a cake made with corn wheat. It is also less sweet than most cakes, drier and its texture is thicker than normal. It can be served as a dessert but also as breakfast with a cup of hot coffee or chocolate.
Ingredients:
Glaze
1 ½ cup (packed) powdered sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons (or more) fresh lemon juice
Cake
1 ½ cup all purpose flour
⅓ cup yellow cornmeal
¾ cup sugar
3 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions:
For glaze
Combine powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice (or more) in a small bowl.
Stir with spoon until smooth and paste-like, adding more lemon juice by ½ teaspoonful if glaze is too thick to spread.
Set aside.
For cake
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F.
Butter a 9-inch-diameter cake pan with 2-inch-high sides; line bottom with parchment.
Combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl; whisk to blend.
Whisk buttermilk, eggs, lemon peel, and vanilla in a small bowl.
Pour buttermilk mixture and olive oil into flour mixture.
Using rubber spatula, gently fold liquids into flour mixture until just blended (do not stir).
Scrape batter into pan; spread evenly.
Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean and cake pulls away from sides of pan, about 30 minutes.
Immediately run knife around sides of cake.
Place rack atop cake in pan.
Using oven mitts, hold pan and rack firmly together and invert cake onto rack.
Remove pan from cake.
Place another rack on bottom of cake; invert 1 more time so that cake is top side up.
Stir glaze until blended.
While cake is still very hot, drop glaze by tablespoonful onto cake; spread to within 1/2 inch of edge (some glaze may drip down sides of cake).
Cool completely.
Enjoy it!
Piña Colada Cake
The Piña Colada is a very popular drink in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean islands. It is based on coconut, pineapple and Puerto Rican rum. Below you will find a recipe with the ingredients of this drink incorporated, making it moist and delicious. This cake recipe is simple and very easy to make.
Ingredients:
1 box yellow cake mix
1 box instant vanilla pudding & pie filling mix
1 can Coco López Cream of Coconut
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons Puerto Rican rum
⅓ cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 can crushed pineapple, well drained
Instructions:
Mix the cream of coconut and rum together and set aside.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, pudding mix, ½ the coconut cream and rum mixture, oil, and eggs.
Beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes.
Stir in the drained pineapple.
Pour into a well greased and floured 10-inch bundt pan.
Bake for 50-55 minutes.
Cool slightly.
Using a kitchen brush, brush some of the remaining cream of coconut and rum mixture on the surface of the cake (which is the bottom of the cake) before taking the cake out of the pan.
Remove from pan and using a table knife, skewer, or ice pick, poke holes about 1 inch apart in cake almost to bottom.
Using the brush again, brush the cake heavily with the remaining coconut cream and rum mixture.
Brush some all around the outside of the cake and heavy on top.
Chill thoroughly.
Garnish with any of these: whipped cream, pineapple slices, maraschino cherries and/or toasted coconut.
Store in refrigerator.
Enjoy it!
