Mexican Menu

I need some ideas for dessert please!

have a look at the recipes part of this website www.mexicanspecialities.co.nz
They are a shop in Ellerslie , Auckland

Platanos Fritos

Choose 4 ripe bananas
Juice of one lemon and one orange mixed
3 cloves or if you like nutmeg
1 cardamon pod cruched ( husk removed)
a dusting of cinnamon
a sprinkling of raw sugar
4 T of clear honey or condensed milk
The condensed milk could make you up some feindish Batidas mmmmm, though sore head the next day
If feeling a bit naughty a good slosh of brandy or cointreau or even Kahlua. If you are feeling rich that agavero tequila liqueur is devilishly good.

METHOD
The bananas are often fried, but they tend to stick so putting them in an ovenproof dish works well.
heat oven to 180 C
Peel nana's and poke a clove in each, lay them in the dish.
Sprinkle with spices
Warm up honey or condensed milk in the microwave, watch for spatters it is HOT
Pour over nana's and bake until tender, can take nearly an hour, the smell is beautiful, turn nan's occasionlly and baste often with the citrus juices, add when needed
Towards the end add the liqueurs unless you just want the flavour you could add it earlier in order to cook off the alcohol.
Serve with vanilla ice cream

Batida's origin south america, Brazil
Made with Cachaca ( a spirit like tequila that may send you a sideways kick)
20 ml Cachaca
30ml any fruit pureed into a nectar
20ml condensed milk
1 glass of ice
Blend in a blender till slushy and serve

Thanks Red2 & Beaumonde, that banana dessert sounds wonderful, liquers and all! ! Planning a night for 10 women, so we should have fun with that one! !

You inspired me, all day I have this craving for Mexican cusine. So off I went to the Mexican cafe tonight, yup waddled home but feel very satisfied. If only food that good could be good for you.
Have fun girls, go easy on the Margarita's oh and use those big fat meyer garden lemons if you can get em ( not as acidic as limes and charles lemons) nicer on the stomach.

Bunuelos

* 3 1/3 regular white flour
* 1 tsp. salt
* 1 tsp. baking powder
* 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
* 1/4 cup butter
* 2 eggs
* 1/2 plus 2 tsp. of milk
* canola oil for deep frying

For the topping:

* 1 cup sugar
* 2 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:

In a sauce pan, (I used a 2 qt. saucepan with a 7 1/2 inch diameter) add canola oil to at least 2 inches deep and heat the canola oil on medium. Keep an eye on the oil so it doesn't get too hot and start smoking.

Sift 4 cups of flour onto a sheet of wax paper. Gently measure 3 1/3 cups of this flour and pour it back into the sifter that is sitting in a mixing bowl. Add the salt, baking powder and sugar on top of the flour and sift all ingredients into the mixing bowl. This will allow you to sift the flour twice making it light and airy,

Add the butter and mix it in with your fingertips. Work the butter in until it has the consistency of corn meal.

In a separate bowl, add the eggs and beat gently. Add the milk to the eggs and blend.

Pour the milk/egg mixture into the flour mixture and stir with a spoon until the dough forms a solid mass.

Dust a wooden cutting board with flour and knead the dough lightly for 2 or 3 minutes or until the dough is smooth.

Pinch off small pieces of dough about 3/4 to 1 inch in diameter and shape into balls. Let the balls rest for 15 minutes.

Rolling Out The Dough

Dust a wooden cutting board with flour and roll out each ball into a thin pancake about 1/8 inch thick. Your circle should be about 4 inches in diameter.

Place your circles of dough on a sheet of wax paper until you are ready to cook them.

Mix the sugar and cinnamon, for the topping, in a gallon-size ziplock bag.

Cooking The Dough

Fry the circles of dough in hot oil. They should bubble up right away and turn a golden brown in about 30 seconds. Turn it over and cook and additional 30 seconds.

Play with the temperature of the oil by noticing how long it takes for the dough to turn golden brown. If it takes longer than 30 seconds, turn up the heat a bit. If you notice the dough turning dark brown in ten seconds, turn the heat down.

Once your Mexican dessert is a nice golden brown on both sides, Remove them with tongs and drain on paper towels.

Once they are cool enough to handle, place one bunuelos in the ziplock bag with the sugar and cinnamon mixture. Gently tip the bag to coat the bunuelos with the sugar mixture. and then set on paper towels to cool.

Oh I'm glad I looked in here again - thanks taratoo - and Beaumonde this weeks Woman's Day has several Mexican recipes - how coincidental! ! Thanks all! !