Two of the most popular Christmastime treats in Colombia are buñuelos [boon-yoo-EL-ohs], fried cheesy bites, and natilla [nah-TEE-yuh], a pudding dessert. They’re normally served on the same plate. Some sponsored kids get to eat them at Christmas celebrations at their Compassion centers!
First, let's make natilla, a pudding dessert. Many abuelas — Spanish for “grandmothers” — make it using whole cane sugar. But this recipe uses brown sugar instead, which is easier to find in the U.S.
Natilla
Yields14 ServingsPrep Time5 minsCook Time30 minsTotal Time1 hr 35 mins
Adult help needed.
4 ½cupsmilk, divided
½cuppacked brown sugar
¼cupwhite sugar
4cinnamon sticks
¾cupshredded coconut, optional
½cupcornstarch
1tbspcinnamon powder for sprinkling
1
Pour 3½ c. milk into a large pot over medium-low heat. Add the brown sugar, white sugar and cinnamon sticks. Bring to a boil, stirring regularly. Quickly remove from heat and set aside for 5 minutes.
2
Meanwhile mix the cornstarch with the remaining cup of milk in a bowl until the cornstarch dissolves completely.
3
Put the pot of milk back on the stove over medium-low heat. Remove the cinnamon sticks and add the coconut if using. Pour in the cornstarch mixture. Stir constantly until it all thickens and you can see the bottom of the pot.
4
Immediately pour into a serving dish or casserole and let cool at least 1 hour. Then top it with cinnamon powder and serve — with buñuelos if you’d like!
Ingredients
4 ½cupsmilk, divided
½cuppacked brown sugar
¼cupwhite sugar
4cinnamon sticks
¾cupshredded coconut, optional
½cupcornstarch
1tbspcinnamon powder for sprinkling
Directions
1
Pour 3½ c. milk into a large pot over medium-low heat. Add the brown sugar, white sugar and cinnamon sticks. Bring to a boil, stirring regularly. Quickly remove from heat and set aside for 5 minutes.
2
Meanwhile mix the cornstarch with the remaining cup of milk in a bowl until the cornstarch dissolves completely.
3
Put the pot of milk back on the stove over medium-low heat. Remove the cinnamon sticks and add the coconut if using. Pour in the cornstarch mixture. Stir constantly until it all thickens and you can see the bottom of the pot.
4
Immediately pour into a serving dish or casserole and let cool at least 1 hour. Then top it with cinnamon powder and serve — with buñuelos if you’d like!
Here’s how to make buñuelos with your family. They are usually made with a special cheese called queso costeño, but it’s difficult to find outside Colombia. So this recipe combines queso fresco and feta cheese, which can be found at most supermarkets. The two cheeses come together to taste a lot like queso costeño.
Buñuelos
Yields8 ServingsPrep Time20 minsCook Time20 minsTotal Time40 mins
Adult help needed.
1 ½cupsqueso fresco, grated
½cupfeta cheese, grated
½cuptapioca starch (also known as tapioca flour)
1cupcornstarch
2eggs
1tspsalt
1tbspbutter
¼cupsugar
⅛tspbaking powder
vegetable oil for frying
1
Mix together all the ingredients except the oil until they form a smooth dough. If it feels dry, you can add warm milk, 1 tbsp. at a time, until it softens up.
2
Shape the dough into 1-inch balls.
3
Add enough oil to a large pot to fully cover the buñuelos. Heat the oil to 350-375 degrees.
4
Add some of the buñuelos, giving them enough room to move around while they fry. After frying them for 5-7 minutes or until golden brown, remove to paper towels to drain. Serve hot — along with natilla if you’d like!
Ingredients
1 ½cupsqueso fresco, grated
½cupfeta cheese, grated
½cuptapioca starch (also known as tapioca flour)
1cupcornstarch
2eggs
1tspsalt
1tbspbutter
¼cupsugar
⅛tspbaking powder
vegetable oil for frying
Directions
1
Mix together all the ingredients except the oil until they form a smooth dough. If it feels dry, you can add warm milk, 1 tbsp. at a time, until it softens up.
2
Shape the dough into 1-inch balls.
3
Add enough oil to a large pot to fully cover the buñuelos. Heat the oil to 350-375 degrees.
4
Add some of the buñuelos, giving them enough room to move around while they fry. After frying them for 5-7 minutes or until golden brown, remove to paper towels to drain. Serve hot — along with natilla if you’d like!
