Although by several aspects it does not seem at all to the typical nougat that we usually eat in Spain and Europe during the Christmas, nougat Doña Pepa it is known by the same name. Throughout the month of October, Peruvians prepare it to enjoy as a family, since its recipe is simple but with its peculiarities. Just like the story behind its origin, in Peru, in the figure of two characters that gave rise to this dessert Lima. Here we reveal what exactly this sweet is like and how you can make it at home, although if you are not very kitchens there is always the possibility of buying it.
Story of an offering
Before we go into the kitchen to explain your recipe step by step, we briefly remind you of where the nougat Doña Pepa. This proper name is attributed to the woman who first made it in the Peruvian province of Cañete, back in the XNUMXth century. Josefa Marmanillo had an important paralysis of your arms, but ran into the one known as Purple Christ. Surely you are thinking that it would be impossible for Doña Pepa to prepare the dish that became legendary if she suffered from that disease. You're right. He could not accomplish that feat without the help of the Lord of Miracles, who cured the Peruvian cook, according to legend.
It was then that, in gratitude for this, Marmanillo created the colorful sweet to give it as an offering every October, precisely at the time of year in which that Christ is honored. After this personal story was known, the product gained popularity throughout Lima until integrating into the Peruvian gastronomic culture. For this reason, people from Lima tend to enjoy it during the days before Christmas. Is very customizable, but we will tell you about its usual recipe below.
Doña Pepa nougat recipe
As we have already advanced at the beginning, the nougat Doña Pepa South American is neither chocolate nor almonds. Rather it is a flour dough with egg yolk, butter, sesame and anise. It is flavored with miel and even some candies to taste to give it a lot color to the final result. It is as beautiful as it is delicious and also forceful, so as not to abuse, just like Christmas nougats. Let's see how one like the one in the images in this text is prepared.
Ingredients for the dough:
- 750 grams of wheat flour
- 35 grams of white sesame seeds
- 180 milliliters of water
- 350 grams of vegetable shortening
- 1 or 2 tablespoons of anise beans
- Yolks 8
- 1 tablespoon of vanilla essence
- Sal Island
- 10 grams of baking powder
- Egg yellow food coloring
Preparation:
Preparing it is not complicated but it does take time. You need about three or four hours to make the nougat Doña Pepa. Start with the dough after sifting the flour with the baking powder. Add anise and sesame, both ingredients previously toasted. After completing this step, you must make a hole in the dough already formed to insert the manteca (already cremated), the egg yolks and water. Subsequently, all this is left to rest in the refrigerator for an hour.
The next step is to stretch the preparation to create elongated layers and bake them for 25 minutes at 180ºC. While it's in the oven, make honey to later season. You need another series of ingredients: lemon, orange, pineapple, figs and water apples. Boil all that fruit mentioned first. Once cooked and strained, add cinnamon so that it melts on that preparation to which you must also add sugar. Again everything is boiled for 10 minutes and left to rest.
On the baked dough you already incorporate that honey obtained but in a structure of several layers until forming the final nougat Doña Pepa. The normal is about three or four floors. The last step is to decorate as you like with candies, dragees and even candies. Here you can unleash your creativity to the full! Enjoy tasting this delicious typical Peruvian sweet.
