Chilean Picarones (Pumpkin Donuts)

Chile

Chilean Picarones (Pumpkin Donuts)

Chilean picarones (slightly different than Peruvian picarones) are soft, squash or pumpkin donuts that are soaked in an orange-infused syrup made with panela.

Ingredients

• 2 cups squash or pumpkin puree
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 1/4 cups milk, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 3 cups vegetable oil (for frying)

0 1 2 3 4 For The Syrup

3 cups water

2 cups shredded panela, dark muscovado sugar, or dark brown sugar

Zest of one orange

4 whole cloves

3 tablespoons cornstarch

Instructions

For The Dough

In a big bowl, mix squash or pumpkin puree, sugar, milk and yeast.

Add flour and mix well. The dough is very sticky. Cover the bowl and leave it to rise for an hour and a half at room temperature.

For The Syrup

In a medium saucepan, add all the ingredients for the syrup. Cook over low heat, whisking constantly, for about 5 minutes. Keep warm.

To Make The Donuts

Heat 3-4 inches of oil  in a deep saucepan over medium/low heat.

Flour a ¼ measuring cup and scoop out some dough. Flour your hands, shape the dough into a ball. Using your thumbs, poke a hole through the center of the ball to create a donut shape.

Place donut on hot oil and fry for about 3 minutes on each side.

Remove the donut from the hot oil and drain on paper towels. Continue with the remaining dough. 

Soak the fried donuts in the hot syrup.

Serve them while they are still warm.