Picarones Peruvian Sweet Potato Doughnuts
Picarones are light and crispy Peruvian doughnuts made from a batter of sweet potato and squash, fried golden and drizzled with a rich chancaca syrup infused with spices. They are the quintessential Peruvian street dessert, beloved for their perfectly balanced sweetness and irresistible crispy texture.
Fluffy sweet potato and squash doughnuts fried until golden and drizzled with warm spiced chancaca syrup.
Nutrition per serving
Ingredients
Dough
Leavening
Syrup
Cooking
Instructions
Make the Dough
Mash the boiled sweet potato and squash together until completely smooth, then let them cool to lukewarm. Mix in the dissolved yeast, flour, a pinch of salt, and a pinch of anise seeds and knead into a sticky dough. Cover and let rest for 1 hour until bubbly.
Prepare the Syrup
Break the chancaca block into pieces and melt it in 300 ml of water over medium heat with a cinnamon stick, cloves, and a strip of orange peel. Simmer for 15 minutes until it becomes a thick and fragrant dark syrup, then strain and keep warm.
Fry the Picarones
Heat the oil to 175 degrees Celsius in a deep pot. Wet your hands with water, take a portion of dough, form it into a ring shape, and carefully drop it into the hot oil. Fry for 3 to 4 minutes turning once until deep golden brown.
Drain and Serve
Remove the picarones with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels for 1 minute. Stack them on a plate and pour the warm chancaca syrup generously over the top before serving immediately.
Substitutions
Common mistakes
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