Ayote en dulce

Ingredients

Squash

• 1.5 kgayote or a dense winter squash
• in large pieces with the skin left on

Syrup

• 500 gpanela, in blocks or grated
• 500 mlwater
• 3cinnamon sticks
• 6whole cloves
• 2whole allspice berries
• a strip of orange peel

Sometimes added

• a piece of fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoonaniseed
• a pinch of salt

To serve

• the syrup itself, spooned over
• toasted sesame seeds, optional

Directions

1. Wash the outside of the squash thoroughly. Cut it into large wedges or thick chunks. Leave the skin on unless it is very tough. Cut the pieces to roughly the same size. Some cooks score the flesh to help the syrup penetrate. Chop it with a heavy knife on a sturdy board. Take care, since the blocks are extremely hard.
2. Put the panela and water in a wide heavy pot. Add the cinnamon, cloves and allspice. Add the orange peel and any other aromatics. Set it over a medium heat and stir until dissolved. Bring it to a simmer and let it cook for ten minutes. It should be dark, fragrant and slightly thickened.
3. Lay the squash pieces into the simmering syrup. Arrange them in a single layer if you can. The syrup should come at least halfway up them. Add a little water if there is not enough. Cover the pot and lower the heat right down. Let it cook very gently for about an hour. Turn the pieces carefully every twenty minutes.
4. Use a spoon rather than tongs to avoid breaking them. Uncover the pot for the last twenty minutes. Let the syrup reduce and thicken around the squash. It should become dark, glossy and slightly sticky.
5. Baste the pieces with it as it reduces. Testing it tells you when to stop cooking. Take the pot off the heat and leave it covered.
6. Let it stand for several hours or overnight. Serving it is done warm or at room temperature. Lift the pieces out onto a serving dish. Spoon plenty of the dark syrup over them. Scatter toasted sesame seeds over if you like.
7. Serve small portions, since it is extremely sweet. It keeps five days covered in the refrigerator.

Technique

• Fiambre is the elaborate cold platter eaten in Guatemala on the first and second of November, and ayote en dulce is one of the sweets served alongside it.
• Panela, unrefined whole cane sugar, is what gives the syrup its dark colour and molasses depth.

Substitutions

• Butternut squash or kabocha both work well in place of ayote.
• Dark muscovado sugar can replace panela, though it is less complex.

Variations

• The Honduran version, ayote en miel, is made almost identically but is eaten during Lent.
• Some households add sweet potato or plantain to the same syrup.
• A version with more spices, including aniseed and ginger, is made in some families.

History

Made for All Saints’ Day alongside fiambre, using the squash that ripens at the end of the rainy season.

Frequently asked questions

What is Ayote en dulce?

Ayote en dulce is a dessert from Guatemala: squash simmered in panela syrup with cinnamon, eaten with the syrup. Made for All Saints’ Day alongside fiambre, using the squash that ripens at the end of the rainy season.

How long does Ayote en dulce take to make?

Ayote en dulce takes 20 minutes of preparation and 1 hour 30 minutes of cooking. The recipe makes serves 8. It is rated easy to make.

What can I substitute in Ayote en dulce?

Yes, within limits. Butternut squash or kabocha both work well in place of ayote. Dark muscovado sugar can replace panela, though it is less complex.

What is the most important thing to get right in Ayote en dulce?

Use a spoon rather than tongs to avoid breaking them. Uncover the pot for the last twenty minutes. Let the syrup reduce and thicken around the squash. It should become dark, glossy and slightly sticky.