“It consists of a mixture of various fruits, that are cooked in a syrup, which is obtained by mixing water, aromatic seasonings such as cloves, allspice or cinnamon”says chef Carlos Morales, who prepared this recipe together with his group of gastronomy students from the Intecap headquarters in Huehuetenango.

It can be made with sugar, dark panela or blonde panela. The latter gives the syrup a lighter or amber tone, he says.

To make this recipe, It is necessary to be at the beginning of the summer season to be able to acquire all the variety of fruits possible, but some can be omitted. This dessert represents the fusion of the Spanish and Mayan cultures, since in this preparation the culinary techniques of preserving, of the first, and of nixtamalization (lime bath), of the second, are enhanced. which allows the fruits to acquire a firm texture and prevents them from falling apart when cooked for a long time in honey.

By dipping the fruits in the nixtamal, These calcify, which provides the characteristic texture, explains Morales.

Ingredients

For the honey:

• 2 pounds of blonde panela
• 3 liters of water
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 4 cloves
• 6 allspice
• 3 egg shells
• Fig leaves (optional)

Fruits:

• 1 papaya
• 3 bananas
• 2 peaches
• 1 coco
• 2 camotes
• 1 pumpkin (depending on size)
• 8 oz chickpeas
• 2 apples
• Chilacayote
• 3 tree tomatoes
• 2 pounds of sugar
• 8 figs
• 2 ripe mangoes

Lime bath: (nixtamal)

• 3 liters of water
• 90 grams of lime

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Preparation

• Wash and disinfect all ingredients. Cut the fruits into irregular cuts, but that have the same size proportion, whether medium or small.
• Make a lime bath, by dissolving the lime well in the water, in order to obtain whitish water.
• Most fruits, already cut and with a firm consistency, will be immersed in the lime bath (nixtamal) for an hour, and softer fruits can be left for regarding 20 more minutes.
• After this time has passed, wash the fruits with enough clean water until the lime bath is completely removed.
• Cook the fruits in regarding 3 to 4 liters of water and 2 pounds of sugar, for regarding 1 hour, over medium heat, until you obtain a preserved fruit texture.
• Make the honey separately, by cooking the water, brown sugar brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, egg shell and fig leaves over medium heat, until you obtain the texture and density of honey.
• Drain the fruits and add them to the honey. Cook for a few minutes until the flavors integrate and the desired texture is obtained.
• Let the mixture cool and serve at room temperature. Serve a portion that has a variety of fruits and a little honey or syrup. They can be accompanied with sweet bread.

Chef Profile

• Carlos Morales has more than 14 years of culinary experience.
• He studied a career as an International Chef and Restaurant Manager, as well as at the Intecap Instructor Training School.
• He has a diploma in Modern Cuisine from the Ibero-American Forum of Professionals.
• He is currently studying a Bachelor’s Degree in Hospitality and Tourism at the Mariano Gálvez University, Huehuetenango campus.
• He won third place as Chef of the Night at the 2014 Gastronomic Festival.
• He is a chef instructor at Intecap Huehuetenango.