Picarones Con Helado De Lucuma Recipe

Prepare purées

If you haven't already, peel and cube 1 medium sweet potato and 1 small butternut squash (or pumpkin). Boil or steam until very tender, about 15–20 minutes. Drain well and mash or riced until smooth. Measure 1 cup mashed sweet potato and 1 cup mashed squash; let cool to lukewarm.

Bloom yeast

In a small bowl combine 1 cup warm water (about 105–110°F / 40–43°C) with 2 tsp active dry yeast and 2 tbs sugar. Stir gently and let sit 5–10 minutes until foamy.

Make dough

In a large bowl whisk together 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp ground anise (if using). Add the cooled purées and the foamy yeast mixture. Stir until a rough dough forms. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead about 6–8 minutes until smooth and slightly tacky; add a tablespoon of flour if very sticky.

First rise

Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 60–90 minutes depending on temperature.

Shape

Gently deflate the dough and transfer to a lightly floured surface. Divide into 12 equal pieces (about 60–70 g each). Roll each piece into a ball, then flatten slightly. Using your finger or the handle of a wooden spoon, poke a hole through the center of each disk and gently widen to form ring shapes (traditional picarones have a fairly large center hole). Place shaped rings on a floured tray, cover loosely and let rest 20–30 minutes for a short second rise.

Heat oil

Pour about 1.5 cups vegetable oil into a deep skillet or pot to a depth of about 1–1.5 inches (enough to float the rings). Heat oil to 350°F (175°C). If you don't have a thermometer, test with a small piece of dough: it should sizzle and float steadily without browning instantly.

Fry

Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, carefully slide 3–4 rings into the hot oil. Fry about 2–3 minutes per side until deep golden brown and cooked through, turning once with tongs or a slotted spoon. Drain on a wire rack or paper towels. Keep warm in a low oven (200°F / 95°C) while frying remaining batches.

Combine 1 cup chancaca or dark brown sugar and 1 cup water in a small saucepan. Add the orange peel, 1 cinnamon stick, and 3 whole cloves. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Reduce heat and simmer 8–12 minutes until slightly thickened. Stir in 2 tbs fresh orange juice. Taste and adjust: if syrup is very bitter or sharp, add a teaspoon of sugar. Strain out spices and keep warm. Syrup should be pourable but coat the back of a spoon.

Heat milk and cream

In a medium saucepan combine 2 cups whole milk and 1 cup heavy cream with 3 tbs sugar and a pinch of salt. Warm over medium heat until just below simmer (small bubbles at the edge), do not boil.

Whisk yolks

In a bowl whisk 4 egg yolks until smooth. Slowly temper the yolks by whisking in about 1/2 cup of the hot milk mixture in a steady stream, then pour the tempered yolks back into the saucepan while stirring constantly.

Cook custard

Cook over low-medium heat, stirring constantly with a spatula, until the custard thickens slightly and coats the back of the spatula (170–175°F / 77–80°C). Remove from heat immediately.

Add lúcuma

Whisk in 1 cup lucuma puree (or reconstituted lucuma powder or lucuma jam) and 1 tsp vanilla extract until fully combined. Taste and add up to 1–2 tbs more sugar if you prefer sweeter ice cream.

Chill and freeze

Transfer custard to a bowl, cover surface with plastic wrap to prevent skin, and chill completely in the refrigerator (at least 4 hours or overnight). Once cold, churn in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions until soft-serve consistency, then transfer to a container and freeze 2–4 hours to firm up. If you don't have an ice cream maker, freeze in a shallow container, stirring vigorously every 30 minutes until creamy (about 3–4 cycles).

Place 1 warm picaron on a serving plate, drizzle with 1–2 tbs warm miel de chancaca syrup, and add a generous scoop of lucuma ice cream on the side or atop the picaron. Dust lightly with powdered sugar if desired and serve immediately so the picarones remain crisp and the ice cream begins to melt into the syrup.