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Desserts are very popular in Canarian gastronomy, one of the island’s distinguishing features. Find out which typical Lanzarote sweets are not to be missed on your visit to the island, and beware, they’ll get you hooked!
History and origins of Lanzarote confectionery
Discovering the typical sweets of Lanzarote also means savouring a part of the island’s history. In its gastronomic tradition, pastries and sweets play a leading role, a heritage passed down from generation to generation and clearly influenced by Lanzarote’s natural resources, which are used to make exquisite recipes.
Vineyards, cereals, vegetables and fruit are grown in a very particular terrain, which over the centuries has allowed the production of typical Lanzarote sweets that combine local ingredients with techniques exported by settlers and traders. This has given rise to dishes that fuse Spanish, Portuguese, African and Latin American traditions.
Lanzarote’s most popular sweets
The list of typical Lanzarote sweets that you can try on your visit to the island is almost endless, as its wealth of traditional desserts is immense. Here we explain some of the most popular typical sweets:
Frangollo canario
This is a dessert made with corn flour, goat’s milk, sugar, cinnamon and sultanas. It is a kind of pudding with a smooth texture that reflects the humility of Canarian cuisine, as it is made with simple ingredients that are accessible to most families.
It is cooked over a low heat and nowadays has many variations, with some people adding matalahúva, honey or even brandy.
Sweet potato trout
These sweet pasties are filled with cooked sweet potato mixed with almonds, sugar and cinnamon. The dough is fried until golden brown and then sprinkled with icing sugar.
They are common in the archipelago, but this dessert has a unique taste in Lanzarote because of the characteristic flavour of the local sweet potato and because sultanas and aniseed are usually added.
Quesadillas Lanzaroteñas
This typical Lanzarote sweet is made with fresh goat cheese, flour, egg, sugar and lemon. It is baked in the oven and has a sweet and sour taste due to the mixture of cheese and sugar.
Local ingredients that define Lanzarote’s confectionery
Lanzarote’s typical sweets use local ingredients and also those introduced by settlers and traders over the centuries. We are talking about raw materials such as almonds, honey, gofio, figs and other products derived from goat’s milk.
An example of traditional Lanzarote confectionery is bienmesabe, which uses some of the ingredients we have mentioned: egg, almonds, honey, sugar and lemon.
Festivals and celebrations: when are these sweets enjoyed?
Some of Lanzarote’s typical sweets can only be enjoyed at special times, such as certain festivals or religious celebrations.
For example, frangollo canario is mainly eaten at family celebrations and festivities; truchas de batata are the star dessert of Christmas; and quesadillas lanzaroteñas are typical of local fiestas, although they can be eaten at any time of the year!
Where to find the best sweets in Lanzarote
The small bakeries and confectioneries on the island continue to produce the typical sweets of Lanzarote, which have been maintained generation after generation, adapting to modern tastes without losing their roots.
In these establishments you can find typical Lanzarote sweets such as gofio, gofio mousse, sweet potato trout, pan de manises, frangollo canario, bienmesabe, suspiros de Moya, huevos mole or tarta Príncipe Alberto, whichever is more delicious!
Taste the best dishes of Lanzarote
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