5 Cinco De Mayo Desert Recipes

By: Heidi DeVries

Break Studios Contributing Writer

Cinco de Mayo celebrates the success of a Mexican force again French soldiers during the Battle of Puebla, but it is more widely celebrated in the United States than in Mexico as shown by these five Cinco de Mayo desert recipes. Many in the United States spend the Cinco de Mayo holiday to celebrate Mexico's heritage and culture, according to the U.S Census Bureau's Facts for Features.

Food is a traditional part of all Cinco de Mayo celebrations and having some Cinco de Mayo dessert recipes on hand can add to the festivities.

Fruit Salsa and Cinnamon Chips. Mix one kiwi, peeled and diced, one diced golden delicious apple, four ounces of raspberries, one-half of a pound strawberries, one tablespoon sugar, one-half a tablespoon of brown sugar and two tablespoons of fruit preserves in a mixing bowl. Chill in the fridge while making the cinnamon chips. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray both sides of five 10-inch flour tortillas with cooking spray until thoroughly coated. Cut into triangles (by cutting in half, then quarters, then eighths) and arrange on a flat cookie sheet. Sprinkle brown sugar on the tortilla pieces, then bake for eight minutes. Cool for at least 10 minutes, and then serve with the fruit mixture. Makes five servings.
Flan. In a saucepan or skillet, heat one cup of sugar on medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar has melted and is golden brown. Pour the syrupy sugar into a baking dish and cool. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat two and 3/4 cups of milk in a saucepan until bubbles appear along the sides of the liquid. Remove from heat and then mix in three eggs, three egg yolks, two tablespoons orange zest, one tablespoon of vanilla extract and one-fourth a cup of sugar. Pour into the dish over the cooled syrupy sugar. Place the baking dish into a larger baking dish filled with boiling water (so it reaches at least halfway up the smaller container with the flan ingredients). Bake at 350 degrees for between 45 and 60 minutes. Mixture should be set but jiggles when moved. Let flan cool, then sit in the fridge for at least three hours. When ready to serve, run a knife around the edge of the flan and flip it upside down.
Sopaipillas. Combine one cup flour, one and one-half teaspoons of baking powder and one-fourth teaspoon of salt in a mixing bowl. Add one tablespoon of shortening until the mixture is crumbly. Gradually add one-third a cup of lukewarm water until a crumby dough ball forms. Flour a flat surface and knead the dough until smooth. Flatten and cut into one-inch squares. Heat six inches of oil in a deep-fat fryer to 375 degrees and drop sopaipillas in to fry for two to four minutes (dough will expand to form a hollow inside). Remove from oil and drain on paper towels. Dust with confectioner's sugar and serve.
Tres Leches Cake. Heat oven to 350 degree and grease bottom of 13x9-inch pan. Combine one box white cake mix, one and one-fourth cups of water, two tablespoons of vegetable oil, three eggs and one cup mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. Mix well. Pour mixture into pan and bake between 30 and 35 minutes. Cool completely (about one hour). Poke holes into top of cake with a skewer. Stir one can (14 ounces) of sweetened condensed milk, one-half cup of coconut milk and one-half cup of whipping cream into a mixing bowl and then pour over cake. Refrigerate at least two hours (although overnight is better). For meringue frosting, beat three egg whites and gradually add in one cup of sugar and one teaspoon of vanilla, beating constantly. Frost cake and serve.
Nutty Chocolate Burritos. Combine one cup of chocolate chips, four tablespoons of chopped walnuts and one-fourth a teaspoon of ground cinnamon. Spoon one-fourth mixture on center of warm 8-inch tortilla and roll up. Repeat with three other tortillas. Cook each burrito in a skillet with one teaspoon of oil for about two minutes. Melt one teaspoon of shortening and two tablespoon of chocolate chips in microwave; mix and drizzle over burritos. Serve immediately. Makes four servings.