Sopaipillas Pasadas in Spiced Chancaca Syrup

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200 °C. Seed the squash, cut it into 3 cm slices with the skin on, spread on a tray and roast for 30 min, until a skewer slides in and the edges are lightly caramelised. Roasting instead of boiling drives off water, so the dough needs less flour and tastes sweeter. Scoop out the flesh, press it through a sieve until silky and let it cool to lukewarm.

   Add in this stepButternut squash, skin on, for roasting 160 g

   oven

2. Syrup: in a 16 cm pan put the chopped chancaca, the water (keep back 1–2 spoonfuls for the cornflour), the orange peel, cinnamon and cloves. Simmer on medium-low heat for 12 min, until it thinly coats the back of a spoon. Stir the cornflour into the reserved cold water, whisk it into the syrup and boil for 30 seconds more until glossy, then turn off the heat.

   Add in this stepChancaca (or panela / dark unrefined cane sugar) 120 gWater for the syrup 220 mlOrange peel strips (2 × 6 cm, no white pith) 2Cinnamon stick 1Whole cloves 2Cornflour (cornstarch) 1 tsp

   medium-low heat

3. In a large bowl mix the flour, baking powder and salt, add the squash purée and the melted lard and bring it together by hand. Knead for 6 min until smooth, soft and no longer sticky. Roasted squash is drier, so add the water little by little if the dough is crumbly.

   Add in this stepPlain (all-purpose) flour 160 gBaking powder 1 tspSalt ½ tspLard, melted 30 gLukewarm water (only if needed) 15 ml

4. Cover and rest the dough for 20 min, then roll it out on a floured surface 5 mm thick and cut 8 cm rounds. Slightly smaller, thicker rounds soak up the syrup without falling apart. Prick each one 3 or 4 times with a fork.

5. Pour the oil into a 20 cm heavy pot (at least 3 cm deep, no more than one third full) and heat on medium-high heat for about 6 min to 175 °C; a scrap of dough should float up within 2–3 seconds. Dry your hands and the dough, and keep children and pets away.

   Add in this stepVegetable oil, for frying 700 ml

   medium-high heat

6. Fry in 2 batch(es): slide the rounds in gently, away from you, and fry for 3 min per batch on medium heat, turning once, until deep golden on both sides. Drain on a rack. If the oil ever catches fire, cover with a lid and turn off the heat; never use water.

   medium heat

7. Return the syrup to low heat until it barely bubbles. Add the fried sopaipillas in a single layer and cook for 2 min, spooning syrup over and turning them, until soaked through. Serve warm in shallow bowls with plenty of the remaining syrup.

   low heat