The Canary Islands is a place with many attractions for the traveller. Its climate, its people, its beaches, its culture and, of course, its gastronomy. You may be familiar with dishes such as papas arrugadas (wrinkled potatoes) or sancocho (stew), among others. However, you may not know that it has some delicious desserts for those with a sweet tooth. Do you want to know them? Here is a list of 14 Canarian desserts that will not fail to impress you.
What are the best Canarian desserts?
If you love gastronomy, you can’t miss at least some of these typical Canarian desserts. There’s something for every taste: from very special marzipan to custard-textured sweets, take note and enjoy these delicacies for the palate!
Sweet potato trout
Isn’t Trout a fish? Well, in the Canary Islands they don’t have to be, as the pan-fried sweet potato pie is also known as trout. A tasty snack to have at any time of the day and that you can take with you wherever you go.
Suspiros de Moya
Who doesn’t like meringues? This dessert owes its name to the Villa de Moya, a town in the north of the island. They are dried meringues with a beautiful shape that resembles a small flower. The ingredients needed to make them are egg white, sugar and lemon. They are then baked in the oven. They only have one secret: your fresh eggs and your hands.
Prince Albert
If you love chocolate, this mousse with almonds and hazelnuts on a sponge base is for you. Where does the name come from? Maybe the name was given when the Prince of Monaco arrived on the island or simply because its creator, Matilde, saw it in magazines and said the dessert was as good as he was. If you go to the islands and ask for Prince Albert, make no mistake, they will bring you this delicious dessert.
Frangollo canario
This kind of sponge cake, from the Latin “frangre, to break”, is made with corn flour, milk, sugar, cinnamon, almonds and sultanas and is a real delicacy. It is a particularly soft sponge cake thanks to the flour and almonds used to make it. There are also different variations, such as those with water instead of milk or those with aniseed.
Gofio mousse
A most original mousse thanks to its main ingredient, gofio, one of the most typical foods of Canarian gastronomy. It also contains condensed milk, eggs and whipping cream and to top it all, crunchy almonds. Delicious!
Canarian nougat
You might think that this sweet is typical of Christmas, but no, it is eaten in summer and is normally one of the main protagonists of many of the festivities on the islands. There are up to four options, all equally delicious: almond, ground, gofio and sugar. If you go to the Canary Islands, you can’t leave without taking this souvenir home with you.
Canary Island marzipan
Marzipan from the Canary Islands is very different from that made on the mainland. It is a kind of round sponge cake made with almonds, eggs, lemon and cinnamon. It is decorated with whole almonds and baked in a wood-fired oven, which gives it a very special touch.
Curd cakes
Although it can be confused with the Herreña quesadilla, it is not exactly the same. The torta de cuajada is made with curd or soft cheese and palm honey. Unlike the quesadilla, it does not contain lemon or cinnamon. It is a soft dessert, ideal for simple milk-based sweets lovers.
Machanga
Also known as leche machanga, it is a kind of custard, but without eggs and with cornstarch. Its main ingredients are milk, sugar, cinnamon and lemon peel. The dessert is sprinkled with grated chocolate on top. Although in the past it was one of the typical luxury Canarian sweets, nowadays it is usually made on special occasions.
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Bienmesabe
A tender and very sweet pastry that usually accompanies custards and ice creams. Its preparation dates back to the time of the conquest of the Canary Islands, possibly following recipes from the mainland. It is made with almonds, sugar and egg yolks. The best thing about it is that it is so intense that just a little goes a long way.
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Quesillo canario
Although you may be thinking that this is a small, sweet cheese, it is not. It is more like a flan, but with condensed milk and lemon zest. It is one of the typical Canarian desserts that you can’t miss.
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Eggs moles
Eggs moles are made in different parts of Spain, such as Granada and Jaén. It is also prepared in the Canary Islands, but with some differences. In the islands, it is a kind of custard made with egg yolks and syrup and sprinkled with gofio. It is an ideal dessert to complete any family meal.
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Polvito Uuruguayo
You won’t be able to resist this dessert. A small glass with a biscuit and butter base on which there is a layer of whipped cream, a layer of powdered meringue and another of dulce de leche. If you want to surprise anyone with a dessert and you consider yourself a real dummy in the kitchen, this will be really easy to prepare.
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Quesadilla herreña
This is a typical cheesecake from the island of Hierro, created at the beginning of the 20th century by the family of Adrián Gutiérrez and daughters. Its flower-shaped design is unique in Spain. It is an ideal sweet to have as an afternoon snack with a good cup of coffee or tea.
As you can see, in the Canary Islands we have some spectacular sweets that will delight even the least sweet tooth. Don’t hesitate, make a note of this list of Canarian desserts and try them on your next trip to the islands. Because sweets always go well with any holiday.
