Some of the recipes in this book include raw eggs.

When this Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

ingredient is consumed raw, there is always the risk that bacte-
ria, which is killed by proper cooking, may be present. For this Gerson, Fany.
reason, when serving this ingredient raw, always buy certified My sweet Mexico : recipes for authentic breads, pastries,
salmonella-free eggs available from a reliable grocer and store candies,
them in the refrigerator until they are used. Because of the beverages, and frozen treats / Fany Gerson. — 1st ed.
health risks associated with the consumption of bacteria that p. cm.
can be present in raw eggs, this ingredient should not be con- Includes bibliographical references and index.
sumed by infants, small children, pregnant women, the elderly, Summary: “The first cookbook to present authentic versions
or any persons who may be immunocompromised. of beloved Mexican sweets plus a creative selection of new
recipes rooted in traditional flavors and ingredients—Provided
Copyright © 2010 by Fany Gerson by publisher.
Photographs copyright © 2010 by Ed Anderson 1. Desserts—Mexico. 2. Cookery, Mexican. I. Title.
TX773.G3823 2010
All rights reserved. 641.5972—dc22
Published in the United States by Ten Speed Press, 2010014469
an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group,
a division of Random House, Inc., New York. ISBN: 978-1-58008-994-4
www.crownpublishing.com
www.tenspeed.com Printed in China

Ten Speed Press and the Ten Speed Press colophon are Design by Katy Brown
registered trademarks of Random House, Inc.
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

First Edition

A mi pa . . . por las alas

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 Empanadas de Jitomate | Tomato Jam Turnover

Jam Filling When I visited the city of Monterrey, a family friend, Amado, lovingly and

4 cups cherry tomatoes kindly drove me around, showing me the wonderful delicacies of the sur-
rounding towns. He took me to the small town of Marin where Martha
1¼ cups sugar
Chapa has a small shop famous for her cookies, where I tried an amazing
Pinch of salt tomato empanada that I couldn’t stop thinking about. She told me how
to make the jam, and, when she saw how excited I was, she gave me a
Empanada Dough
large container filled with it. I kept eating spoonfuls of it on my way home
2 cups all-purpose flour and adapted the recipe once I was back in my kitchen. You can keep the
½ teaspoon baking powder jam chunky, or, if you like a smoother consistency, you can pulse it in a

3 tablespoons sugar food processor after it’s cooked. The jam can be made well in advance
and will keep for months if properly stored. It is very tasty on its own and
Pinch of salt
I recommend that you make a big batch.
¾ cup unsalted butter, cut into
small cubes to m a k e t h e fil ling, wash and dry the tomatoes. Cut the toma-
½ cup crema or heavy cream, toes in half and place them in a small, heavy pot with the sugar and salt.
plus extra for topping Bring the mixture to a boil and adjust the heat so that it is at a constant
simmer. Cook, stirring often, until the jam is thickened and you can
Egg yolk, for topping see the bottom of the pot, about 50 minutes. (If you want a very smooth
jam, you can pulse it in a food processor.) Let cool before using.
Sugar, for topping
to m a k e t h e dough, whisk together the flour, baking pow-
der, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Using a pastry cutter or a food
processor, cut the butter into the dry mixture until it resembles a coarse
meal. Add the cream and mix until just combined. Invert the dough
onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until it is smooth and uni-
form, about 2 to 3 minutes. Flatten to a disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and
refrigerate for at least half an hour.
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface, with a lightly floured
rolling pin, until ¿ inch thick. Use a round cookie cutter to cut out 4- to
5-inch diameter circles; gather the scraps, re-roll, and repeat until all of
the dough is used up.
To form the empanadas, line up the dough circles on a lightly floured
work surface. Place about 1 tablespoon of the filling in the center of
each dough circle. Fold half of the dough over the filling, then press
the edges very lightly with your fingers to seal; you can fold the sealed
edge toward the center to give it a decorative finish. Alternatively, use
the back of a fork to press around the edge to seal the empanada. Cut
2 small slits in the top of each turnover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
c o ntin u e d

f r u t a | F r u i t 133

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 Empanadas de Jitomate (continued)

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F. Whisk one yolk with a little
cream and top with sugar. Bake until they are golden brown and cool in
rack. These may be eaten warm or cold.

m a k e s 12 t o 16

not e: For a delicious, quick filling, cut a few cubes of guava paste
(page 131 or store-bought) and mix with a little queso fresco or requesón
to fill these flaky empanadas.

134 | My Sweet Mexico

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Gers_9781580089944_3p_p94-p216_r1.indd 135 5/19/10 4:39 PM
 Helado de Elote | Corn Ice Cream

3 ears fresh corn, shucked The culinary diversity of corn is manifested in its incredible array of prepa-

2½ cups whole milk rations. It’s most often associated with and used in savory dishes, but it
has snuck into various sweet ones, and corn ice cream is absolutely one
1½ cups heavy cream
of the best.
¾ cup sugar Be sure to take advantage of the height of corn season, because fresh
8 egg yolks corn’s sweetness will seep into the flavor of the ice cream. Traditionally, this
Pinch of salt ice cream is not made with a custard base, but I believe that it enhances
the creaminess of the corn.
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Slice the kernels from the corn into a bowl. Break the cobs into 3 pieces
and put them with the kernels into a saucepan. Add the milk, heavy
cream, and ½ cup of the sugar and stir to combine. Bring to a boil over
medium heat, stirring. Remove from the heat and allow to steep, cov-
ered, for 1 hour.
Remove the cobs and discard. Remove about 1 cup of the corn
kernels and reserve. Purée the mixture in the pot with an immersion
blender and bring to a boil over medium heat.
In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the remaining ¼ cup sugar
and the salt. Slowly whisk about half of the hot milk mixture into the
yolk mixture and stir rapidly. Return the mixture to the pot and cook
over low heat, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon or heat-
proof spatula, until it is thickened and coats the back of a spoon, 10 to
15 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve and press down with a
wooden spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Add the vanilla
and the reserved corn kernels and stir to combine. Pour into a con-
tainer, place a piece of plastic wrap directly on top, and chill over an
ice bath until cool. Refrigerate, covered, until completely cool, about
3 hours, and freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufac-
turer’s instructions.

makes About 5 cups

de l ic i a s h e l a da s | F roz e n T r e at s 181

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