If you have a sweet tooth, than Cusco is the place for you. The city is full of wonderful restaurants that have endless varities of sweet treats waiting for you to try. Peruvian love their sweets and it shows in the variety of desserts availible in the City. Here we will give you some of the best that you need to try.
Picarones are a popular street vendor treat in Peru. It resembles a sweet, sticky, dripping doughnut. The dough is prepared from sweet potato flour and tossed into a fryer for about 2 minutes until golden brown and crispy. This deliciousness is topped with honey mixed with cinnamon, essence of orange, and other spices.
Mazamorra Morada is a Peruvian purple pudding with a fruity, cinnamon flavor. The main ingredient is Peruvian purple corn, or maiz morada, and has a jelly-like consistency. This popular street cart dessert is made from a base of water, purple corn, lemon, apples, pineapple, prunes, apricots and cherries – although the exact combination may vary. It is then thickened with sweet potato flour and dusted with cinnamon. There’s nothing quite like it, super delicious.
Arroz con leche, or rice with milk in English, is actually just a good old-fashioned bowl of rice pudding. The Peruvian preparation isn’t too different either, but it sure is popular throughout the country. It is typically found in street carts, often alongside mazamorra morada. To make, simmer rice, condensed milk, sugar, egg yolks, butter, cinnamon and nutmeg until it becomes a creamy, pudding-like consistency.
You cannot talk about Peruvian desserts without thinking about this magical dessert. Tres Leches is a cake that is usually soaked in milk syrup. Milk syrup is made by combining evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk and whole milk, hence its name of three milk cake. So, you can imagine the tasty and moist cake that will be an explosion your palate.
The choice of food in Cusco is endless, from the tasty and delicious street vendors food, to the typical food in the markets you will be surprised. Dine in one of the many fine restaurants on or near the Plaza some even voted the best in Peru. Whether you have street food, market food or restaurant, don’t miss the desserts in Peru.