Jamoncillo De Pepita Recipes

JAMONCILLO DE LECHE (MEXICAN FUDGE)

Steps:

• Combine milk, sugar, vanilla, baking soda, and cinnamon stick in a large heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook, stirring continuously. After about 20 minutes remove the cinnamon stick. Place a candy thermometer in the pan and cook until the thermometer reaches soft-ball stage 240 degrees F (115 degrees C) or until you can see th bottom of the pan when you stir.
• Remove the candy from the heat and add the chopped pecans. Beat the candy with a mixer for about 5 minutes. Pour the candy into a buttered 9x9-inch pan. Press pecan halves onto the top of the warm candy. Cool, then cut into pieces. Store candy in an airtight container.

JAMONCILLO DE PEPITA

Steps:

• Soak the pumpkin seeds in abundant water overnight. Drain the water and peel the seeds, one by one, so that you only have the white part of the seed; discard the rest. (It's best if you can get some friends or family to help you with this part.)
• Grind the seeds in a food processor or hand mill. If you have a hard time, add a bit of water, a little at a time, but no more than 3/4 cup, until you have a fine paste.
• Combine the sugar and water in a heavy-bottomed pot and cook over medium heat until you reach the thread stage (see page 13). Add the pumpkin seed paste and continue to cook over medium heat, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon or a heatproof spatula, until thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the canela.
• Line an 8 by 8-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Divide the mixture into three batches and tint one with enough food coloring to make it dark pink (almost fuchsia). Lightly dust a flat surface with a little confectioner's sugar and roll out the two uncolored batches, until they are about 1 inch thick. Roll out the dark pink batch the same way. Place the pink sheet on top of the white sheets so they stick together (you can sprinkle a bit of water in between if they're not sticking). Put the candy sheets on the prepared baking pan and allow to dry for a few hours, until the surface doesn't feel sticky. Unmold the candy, remove the parchment paper, then slice as desired and enjoy.

JAMONCILLO DE LECHE

Steps:

• Lightly grease a 9 by 9-inch square pan. Line the pan with a piece of parchment paper or aluminum foil, leaving about a 1-inch overhang on all sides.
• Combine the condensed milk, evaporated milk, butter, vanilla, and salt in a saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, until the mixture has thickened and starts pulling away from the sides of the pan, 20 to 30 minutes. When ready, it will slide easily out of the pan when tilted.
• Pour into the prepared pan and allow to set, about 2 hours. Cut into rectangles or desired shapes.
• Add 6 tablespoons unsweetened natural cocoa powder (preferably Dutch processed) along with the other ingredients.
• Replace the vanilla with 1 teaspoon grated lime zest and add 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice and a few drops of green food coloring (if desired) once the mixture has been removed from the heat, making sure you add them slowly and stir well so it doesn't separate.
• Add 2 teaspoons coffee extract along with the other ingredients.
• Replace the evaporated milk with the same size can of coconut milk.
• Add 1 tablespoon white or reposado tequila once the mixture has been removed from the heat, making sure you add it slowly and stir well so it doesn't separate.
• You can mix and match flavors as you like, and you can do it quite simply. Pour half of the mixture into the prepared pan, stir another flavor-such as coffee extract or any kind of flavored oil with a few drops of food coloring-into the other half, then pour that on top. Alternatively, you can make two separate flavors and make half a batch of each.