What Is Piloncillo? The right way to Purchase and Use the Mexican Cane Sugar



Whether or not you grate it or soften it, piloncillo provides a refined burnt-edge sweetness to drinks, desserts, and extra. In the event you’ve by no means labored with this number of uncooked, unrefined cane sugar earlier than, you could be intimidated by the stable brown cones discovered at Mexican and Latin American grocers. But it surely’s simpler to make use of than you could assume, and really a lot definitely worth the effort. “The flavour is important to Mexican cooking, and it’s simply very distinctive,” says Iliana de la Vega, chef proprietor of El Naranjo in Austin. Right here’s every little thing you might want to know. 

What’s piloncillo? 

Piloncillo is an unrefined cane sugar which may even be labeled as papelón or panela. “It’s primarily uncooked sugar,” says de la Vega, who grew up in Mexico Metropolis. In Mexican delicacies, piloncillo is used to sweeten drinks like aguas frescas, atole (together with chocolate-flavored champurrado), tepache, and café de olla. It’s additionally used as an ingredient in savory dishes and desserts that span from moles to pan dulces (candy breads). “In Oaxaca there are possibly 10 to twenty breads which can be flavored with piloncillo,” de la Vega says.

To make piloncillo, sugar cane juice is boiled down, poured into molds, then left to harden. Although piloncillo can are available in any form, it’s usually bought in cones. (Piloncillo interprets to “little loaf.”) Regardless of its coloration, piloncillo is totally different from brown sugar, which is a refined product that’s often made by combining white sugar with a small quantity of molasses. Piloncillo is more healthy than refined sugar and has a decrease glycemic index, de la Vega says. 

What does piloncillo style like? 

Although it’s generally referred to as Mexican brown sugar, piloncillo is rather more complicated in taste than common brown sugar, with earthy undertones and notes of vanilla and cinnamon.

“Brown sugar is simply candy — you get one layer of taste,” de la Vega says. “Piloncillo tastes candy, in fact, however it’s a little bit bit bitter and acidic, too. Typically it even tastes like cinnamon, although there’s no cinnamon in it. It’s very particular.” 

Piloncillo is historically used to sweeten champurrado, a thick atole flavored with Mexican chocolate and cinnamon.

Greg Dupree / Meals Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen


The right way to measure and use piloncillo 

Piloncillo sometimes is available in packaged one-ounce cones, which is why most recipes name for piloncillo in ounces or cones relatively than conventional measurements. To interrupt down a piloncillo cone, grate it utilizing a Microplane or finely chop it utilizing a knife. If it’s too exhausting to work simply with, de la Vega says you may microwave it for a number of seconds out of the packaging.

You may as well make a piloncillo syrup, says de la Vega, which is the simplest method to incorporate it into drinks like espresso or aguas frescas. Convey one piloncillo cone and about one and a half cups of water to a boil over medium-high warmth, then scale back the warmth to low and simmer till the piloncillo dissolves and reduces right into a syrupy consistency, about quarter-hour; to make it extra concentrated you may boil it down for an extended time. The ratio of piloncillo and water may range relying in your recipe. 

The right way to purchase piloncillo 

Relying on the place you reside within the U.S., piloncillo could be obtainable at bigger grocery shops, however it’s broadly obtainable at Mexican or Latin American grocers in addition to on-line. When purchasing for piloncillo, you’ll discover two varieties: blanco (blonde) and oscuro (darkish). De la Vega prefers the blanco because it’s typically extra versatile. The oscuro could have a stronger, extra molasses-like taste. 

The right way to substitute for piloncillo

In the event you can’t discover piloncillo, de la Vega notes that you should utilize darkish brown sugar. Nevertheless the flavour will not be a 1:1, and also you’ll get much less of these complicated burnt-sugar notes. You may as well use any form of uncooked, unrefined sugar, akin to Indian jaggery

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