- Looking for the Best Cuban cookbook?
- "Three Guys From Miami Celebrate Cuban" and "Three Guys From Miami Cook Cuban"
Imagine the richest custard ever, so rich you can cut it with a knife. Flan is rich with eggs. It is poured into a pan with a coating of dark, caramelized sugar. Once baked in the oven, the caramel liquefies to create a delicious (but thin) syrup. Flan can be served warm or cold, but it's important to pour plenty of the syrup over the top. For a real treat, order it con coco rallado (with sweetened shredded coconut). Yum! You'll find flan on the menu at most Cuban/Latin restaurants. Or buy one "to go" at area bakeries.
Tocinillo del Cielo
Tocinillo de Cielo is a distant cousin of flan. It is sometimes mistakenly called "Tocino del Cielo," which literally means "bacon from heaven." It doesn't look like bacon, it doesn't taste like bacon -- in fact, there's no bacon in it. So why people started calling it this, we'll never know. No matter what you call it, tocinillo del cielo is sweeter and lighter than flan, light on the tongue.
We've seen two types at bakeries and supermarkets. One has a slight lemon-citrus taste, the other tastes like almonds. Both are delicious - so experiment.
Turrones are almond candies imported from Spain and a traditional holiday treat. They come in several flavors including chocolate, nougat, cream-walnut, honey, fruit and egg.
Capuchinos are those little yellow cones you see in the case at a Cuban bakery. They are a rich cake made with egg yolks and soaked in a very sweet sugar syrup.
Yes, it literally means Gypsy's arm. We're not sure how it got that name. It is basically a jelly roll cake -- in this case it's filled with sweet guava filling and topped with candied fruits and shredded coconut.
This treat is made with ground peanuts and has a sweet and heavy peanut flavor. The bars are very dense and rich tasting.
Meringues are like the topping of a lemon pie, only drier and puffier. You'll see them in bags at stores all over Miami. You can also get a larger, fresher version at local bakeries. Some places add a touch of anise to give them a light licorice flavor.
These are flaky pastries filled with layers of creamy custard. You usually see them in two flavor: chocolate and vanilla. These are very similiar to a Napoleon.
Cubans love coconut and coquitos are deliciously sweet coconut candies. The come in several popular varieties:
- Coquito blanco: white coconut
- Coquitos quemados: toasted coconut
- Coquitos melcochados: toasted coconut with a caramel flavor
- Coquitos con leche: coconut with milk cream
- Coquitos quemados: toasted coconut
This company makes several different bars, many with a coconut or fruit base. Some of the flavors include: coconut, pineapple/coconut, milk cream, orange cream, and guava.
