Arepitas Dulces con Anís: Sweet Anise Fried Arepas
Arepitas Dulces con Anís are deliciously sweet, aromatic, and crispy fried corn cakes highly popular in Latin American countries, especially in Colombia and Venezuela. This delightful treat has accompanied family breakfasts for generations.
The secret to this quick 20-minute recipe is the aromatic blend of anise seeds and a touch of cinnamon mixed directly into the dry cornmeal. By flattening the dough and poking a signature hole right in the center before frying, you guarantee they cook evenly and achieve an irresistible, golden crunch!
Arepitas Dulces con Anís (Sweet Anise Arepas)
A crispy, sweet, and aromatic Latin American breakfast staple! Fried cornmeal cakes flavored with anise seeds and cinnamon.
Ingredients
- 1 cup Pre-cooked white cornmeal Harina de maíz blanco precocida
- 1 cup Warm water
- 1 teaspoon Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Anise seeds Anís en grano
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- Ground cinnamon To taste
- Cooking oil For frying
- A splash of oil For the dough
Instructions
- Mix the dry ingredients: The very first step is to place the pre-cooked cornmeal into a mixing bowl. Add the teaspoon of salt, the teaspoon of sugar, the anise seeds, and a dash of ground cinnamon. Mix all the dry ingredients together thoroughly.
- Hydrate and knead: Add the warm water and a small splash of oil to the dry mixture. Knead everything very well until the dough reaches a smooth, workable consistency. Let the dough rest for a brief moment.
- Shape the arepitas: Divide the rested dough into 6 equal balls. Place them on a previously greased piece of plastic wrap or a plastic bag. Flatten them with your hands into thin disks, and use your finger to poke a distinct hole right in the center of each one.
- Fry: Heat a generous amount of cooking oil in a pan. Once the oil is very hot, carefully drop the arepitas in and fry them until they are beautifully golden brown and crispy on both sides.
- Drain and serve: Remove them from the hot oil and place them on paper towels or absorbent napkins to drain the excess fat. Serve immediately while they are hot and crunchy!
Notes
- The Perfect Pairings: While these sweet arepitas are perfect for any moment of the day, traditionally they are consumed during breakfast, heavily accompanied by salty, savory contrasts like queso costeño (salty white cheese) or a generous dollop of creamy suero costeño!
- The Venezuelan Cousin: In neighboring Venezuela, it is incredibly common to sweeten the dough using grated panela (papelón) instead of refined sugar, and they are often stuffed with white cheese right during the preparation.
- Nutritional Value: Corn is a fantastic food source rich in riboflavin, phosphorus, potassium, iron, calcium, zinc, and Vitamin B. (If you ever opt for yellow cornmeal instead, you’ll also get a high dose of Vitamin A from the carotenoids!).
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