Planning your Cinco de Mayo celebration should be fun and exciting. Trying to come up with unusual or exotic dishes to complement old favorites is one of the best parts. You can really have fun when it comes to desserts.
Cold desserts are a favorite during this warm time of the year. Sure, you can make some ice cream flavored with mango or coconut, but what about a granita? Have you ever tried one? They are simple to make and you can flavor them with luscious exotic tastes like hibiscus. The hibiscus also gives the granita a bright pink color that fits right into the colorful decorations for Cinco de Mayo.
If the allure of ice cream is too hard to deny, you can always add that native Mexican treat, chocolate sauce. Spice it up with a good kick of chipotle or cinnamon. The warmth you feel in your mouth from the spicy chocolate contrasts with the coolness of the ice cream. Memorable parties are made from such flavorful unions.
If you prefer cakes, a classic Tres Leches cake is simple to make and will make quite an impression. This rich cake is saturated with three kinds of milk and is served ice cold. Yum! For a warmer cake, consider cupcakes with the flavors of cinnamon, chipotle and chocolate all combined. You bite into it, enjoying the chocolate flavor then the warmth of the chilies and cinnamon wake up your mouth.
To really dazzle your guests, make some capirotada. This Mexican bread pudding is liberally sprinkled with pecans, raisins and two types of cheese. Finish it off with cinnamon, nutmeg and whipped cream for a dessert your guests will remember for weeks.
Other authentic Mexican desserts to consider include empanadas filled with fruit and cream, sweet tamales filled with almonds and fruit, and churros, which can be served with a hot cup of Mexican chocolate to drink. We know so little of the delicious Mexican desserts here in the United States… why not use your Cinco de Mayo party to explore some of these delectable delights?
As you plan your Cinco de Mayo food, go ahead and use all the hot, spicy foods you want. Just do not forget to add the sparkle to your party with some wonderful sweet treats from south of the border. Try some new recipes that will make your guests look at you with awe. Your efforts will not go unrewarded.
Every party needs those sweet dishes that end the night on a high note. While you always rely on the traditional caramel flan, discovering some of these more unusual desserts will move you up a few notches on the culinary ladder. If you are going all the whole nine yards with your menu and your decorations, why not include dessert in that goal, too?
No one does dessert like our Mexican neighbors, and it is high time we discovered what wonderful cooks they are. Let them inspire you to achieve culinary greatness at your next Cinco de Mayo party.
Mexican food history is a fascinating trip back through time reaching all the way to the Pre-Columbian era. Native foods that sustained the Aztecs and Mayans are still being used daily in Mexico. This is something we can all learn from… by using native and seasonal foods, we remain healthier.
