Cappuccinos, the sweet that Cubans can no longer taste

Hecappuccino For Cubans it is ascience fiction dessert. You have to make a leap to the past to remember its taste in your mouth and the moment you do it, you are trapped in a time loop trying to understand how such a simple and delicious recipe is forced to disappear on the island.

In other words, you have to havemany eggs to eatcappuccinos in Cuba. The recipe calls for at least 10, of which you use especially the yolks, which is why they have the beautiful and appetizing yellow color that characterizes them.

The other thing that thecuban cappuccinos, in large quantity,it's sugar. As things stand with this ingredient, which carriesmonths without reaching the full quota for the supply book... Who tells a Cuban mother to dedicate a pound of the precious powder to make syrup? Nobody.

Days go by and children grow up without eating cappuccinos or trying many other things necessary in their diets. Time passes and the flavors are forgotten, as are the feelings of enjoyment that old recipes provide.

A priori it seems unimportant given so many shortcomings in Cuba. However, our good childhood memories are nourished by those details, flavors and experiences. Pleasant memories are what give life to the popular imagination of a beloved country, but sweetness is something that Cubans experience less and less.

Why is this Cuban sweet called cappuccino?

There are several versions about the origin of the name. The first is that when baking the dough in the cones, a toasted hood is created, which over time ended up turning it into the sweet cappuccino.

The second is related to the Capuchin monks, whose clothing color is precisely light brown. In this case the name comes from the brown color in the "head" of the candy. In neither case is it related to cappuccino coffee, although this dessert accompanies a good coffee very well.

There is a curiosity in this recipe. It can be baked in different formats and each of them has a different name. The round ones, made in muffin molds, are known asbig heads. The ones that havecone shape are cappuccinos and those that are made in the shape of a panetela are called "cappuccino cake".

Where to try cappuccinos in Cuba?

Cuban candy stores sold various desserts in syrup, but over time they disappeared from the market, especially cappuccinos. For years it has been rare to find them for sale in a state candy store, they only produce itprivate candy makers o private businesses.

In the midst of the current economic crisis in Cuba, wherean egg can cost 100 pesos, it is irrational to think that someone can regularly make the cappuccino recipe at home. Still, some people strive to maintain the tradition and make that dough, from time to time, especially to makebirthday cake.

CyberCuba It has readers in all parts of the world, but not in all parts of the world there are candy stores that sell thecuban cappuccinos, that's why we share hereour recipe for those who can remember this flavor and keep the passion for Cuban sweets alive.

Cappuccino recipe for 20 servings

Theingredients for the dough of the cappuccinos will be: 10 egg yolks, one egg white, two tablespoons of white sugar and three teaspoons of cornstarch.

Then you mustmake the syrup and for this you will need: three cups of white sugar, one and a half cups of water, a teaspoon of lemon juice, a cinnamon stick. Put everything on the heat to boil for 3 minutes. At the end add a teaspoon of vanilla. Let it cool to cover the cappuccinos with that syrup.

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190ºC) and prepare thepreferably waxed paper cones, which you should place in the gaps of a cappuccino mold.

If you don't have a mold, some people arrange them vertically on the oven rack. Others have created their own molds, as in theblog My Cuban Traumas, but remember that you can also use this dough in cupcake liners or panetela trays.

To prepare the dough, beat the yolks, egg whites and sugar for 15 minutes until very thick. Gradually add the sifted cornstarch, gently folding into the mixture. Pour it into a bag with a medium nozzle and fill 2/3 of each cone.

Then put them in the hot oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown on top. Once they are ready, let them cool, remove the paper and bathe them with syrup.

Put them in the refrigerator and keep an eye on the cappuccinos, remember it's a science fiction candy... Sometimes they fly!