Perhaps, before the pandemic hit, many of us took these types of events for granted. But when we were told that we weren’t able to see each other for the unforeseeable future, things changed. Suddenly, the urge to feel that motherly warmth was ever necessary, yet so unattainable. This is why we propose that this year — a year after complete lockdown in the United States — we make our jefas feel valued more than ever.

Give them flowers, cards, calls, text messages, or anything that allows you to express your love for them. We also propose that you sweeten their lives even more with some delectable postres. 

After a bitter year, dulces are a must!

So, below you will find 4 easy dessert recipes for this year’s Mother’s Day celebration. Not only will your mother enjoy it, you will, too!

Photo courtesy of Doreen Colondres/La Cocina No Muerde

FLAN DE COCO

We know that the pandemic weight is at the back of everyone’s mind. However, let’s push that diet for the following week because it’d be almost sinful to forego Mother’s Day without the ever-loved Caribbean dessert, coconut flan or flan de coco. As aforementioned, not only will this be a delightful addition to the Mother’s Day menu, it will also be super easy. In fact, the recipe states it only takes one hour. Now, that’s something we can all appreciate!

Ingredients:

• 1 can condensed milk
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1 cup sugar
• 5 whole eggs
• Coconut flakes (sold in can, with or without sugar added)
• A few drops of lime juice
• A few drops of water

Directions:

• Blend the eggs together.
• Add the 2 milks to the eggs, mixing with a hand blender if you have one.
• Now you’ll need a glass mold to prepare the caramel. 
• In a small fry pan at medium temperature, pour the sugar and 4-5 drops of lime juice. Wet your hand and let 4-5 drops of water onto the pan. Move the pan around until the sugar is totally melted and a deep golden color, not a brownish color, which means the sugar burned.
• Pour the caramel into the mold and cover all its surface. Once the sugar settles and dries in the mold, add the mixture of eggs and the two milks.
• Now, it’s ready for the oven. But not so fast. You’ll need to set up a water bath (bain Marie) by placing the mold inside another mold that will cover up to 3/4 of the sides of the egg/milk mixture.
• Leave the double boiler in the oven at 350ºF for 45 minutes.
• Check if it’s ready by inserting a knife between the mold and the flan. If it slides out clean, the flan is done.
• Once the mold has cooled, separate the flan from the sides of the mold with a knife.
• Place it in the fridge or freezer so it can cool.
• Flip the cold flan onto a large serving tray. Decorate with coconut flakes.

Photo courtesy of Nestle La Lechera

DULCE DE LECHE THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Cookies are a classic. We all know that. They go well with cafecito or un vasito de leche. They are also the best dessert to package since cookies are not as fragile as other sweet delicacies. This is why we suggest you and your madre indulge in some dulce de leche thumbprint cookies. The recipe is as follows:

Ingredients: 

• 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup Nestlé La Leche dulce de leche
• Flaky sea salt (optional)
  

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350° F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Combine flour, cinnamon, salt and baking powder in a medium bowl; stir well.
• Beat butter in a large mixer bowl until creamy. Beat in sugar until well blended. Beat in egg yolks and let the mixer run for 1 minute. Beat in vanilla extract. Gradually beat in flour mixture.
• Scoop by level tablespoon and roll into balls. Place balls 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. With your fingertip or end of a round wooden spoon, make indentation in the center of each ball.
• Bake for 10 minutes or until the bottoms are just barely golden. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.
• Place dulce de leche in heavy-duty resealable bag; snip corner from bag and pipe about ½ teaspoon dulce de leche into indentations. 
• Sprinkle with a little sea salt.

MAJARETE

This sweet treat is fairly popular in the Caribbean and in Venezuelan. Consequently, it’s been adapted in various ways, which is the beauty of Latin American desserts. However, the Majarete we are exposing you to has a nice coconut flavor to it. The recipe calls for ingredients found in most pantries, so you should have no problem recreating. 

The next steps will guide you into creating a mouth-watering dessert your mother will surely love.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup milk 
• 1 cup corn flour (example: Harina Pan)
• 1 can (13.5 oz) coconut milk
• ½ cup sugar
• 400 oz piloncillo or panela (unrefined cane sugar)
• 1 can condensed milk sweetened 
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch of salt
  

Directions:

• Bring a medium pot to medium heat. Add milk and corn flour. Mix until smooth. 
• Add ½ cup coconut milk and stir.
• Let the mixture come to a boil, stirring continuously. Add sugar, panela, condensed milk, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt. Stir until incorporated. Cook for 2 -3 minutes.
• Transfer mixture to a big bowl, or several individual bowls. 
• Refrigerate for 2 -3 hours, or until set and firm.
• Sprinkle with more chopped nuts, ground cinnamon, and coconut flakes, if desired.
• Serve cool.
  

Photo courtesy of Nestle La Lechera

PIÑA COLADA GELATIN

If you’re looking for a refreshing dessert, then you’re in luck! We, too, love a dessert that melts in our mouths and is refreshing as ever, considering it is said this year is going to get pretty hot. 

For that, we want you to learn how to prepare the piña colada gelatin. It has the perfect balance of acidic and sweet. Isn’t that great?

This recipe is easy enough to have your mother help you out. Just look at it:

Ingredients:

• 1 14-ounce can Nestle La Lechera sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup coconut-flavored low-fat greek yogurt
• ½ cup canned crushed pineapple undrained
• 2 cups pineapple juice
• 2 envelopes (7 grams each) unflavored gelatin
• Toasted flaked coconut and/or pineapple slices for garnish (optional)
  

Directions:

• Spray 15 dessert cups lightly with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
• Combine sweetened condensed milk, yogurt and crushed pineapple in a medium bowl, stir well.
• Microwave pineapple juice in a large, microwave-safe bowl for 90 seconds or until hot. Sprinkle gelatin one packet at a time over hot juice, whisking vigorously after each addition until dissolved.
• Stir gelatin mixture into yogurt mixture. Pour about 1/3 cup of mixture into each dessert cup. 
• Refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm.
  

We hope your madre enjoys these desserts and the company you give her!