My Little Foray into “Fancy” Cuban Sweets
So, I got this idea stuck in my head, you know? “Fancy Cuban desserts.” It just sounded intriguing. I’ve had my share of the usual suspects – the flan, the tres leches, all solid, comforting stuff. But I really wanted to explore what “fancy” could mean in that world of sweets. I figured it was time to experiment a bit.
First off, I dove into a bit of what you might call “research.” I scoured some blogs, looked at pretty pictures, trying to get a handle on it. What makes a Cuban dessert cross over into “fancy” territory? Is it about deconstruction? Weird ingredients? Or just making it look like it belongs in a high-end restaurant? It seemed like a lot of it was just taking something classic and, well, making it a lot more work.
I decided to get my hands dirty and actually try making a couple of these “fancy” versions. I started with what I thought would be an elevated flan. Instead of the plain, beautiful caramel, I attempted a mango-infused custard with a spiced rum glaze. Sounds impressive, right? Well, let me tell you, getting that mango puree smooth enough without it tasting weirdly cooked was a challenge. And the glaze! I almost caramelized it too much, nearly smoked out my kitchen. It was quite the production for a flan.
Next up, I tackled some “artistic” churros. Not just your regular piped-and-fried churros. Oh no. These were supposed to be shaped into little nests, served with a chili-chocolate dipping sauce and some kind of fruit compote I had to make from scratch. Honestly, trying to get those churro nests to hold their shape while frying? What a mess. And while the chili-chocolate was interesting, my kids just picked at it and asked if I could make the “normal ones” next time. Can’t say I blamed them much.
It really got me thinking, this whole trend of making everything “fancy.” It’s not just desserts, is it? You see it everywhere.
- Take a perfectly good, simple dish.
- Add a dozen extra steps, some obscure ingredient.
- And then call it “gourmet.”
Sometimes, I think we just overcomplicate things for the sake of it. The original flan? It’s popular because it’s simply delicious. Those straightforward churros? Crispy, sugary, perfect.
It’s a bit like when I tried to get into specialty teas a while back. I bought all the paraphernalia – the special teapot, the little cups, the timers. I learned all about water temperatures and steeping times for different kinds of leaves. And you know what? After a few weeks of fussing around, I just found myself going back to my good old tea bags for a quick, comforting cuppa. It just wasn’t worth all the extra effort for me on a daily basis.
That’s pretty much how I felt after my Cuban dessert experiment. I spent a good amount of time, used up more ingredients than usual, and definitely made more of a mess in the kitchen. And the end result? The desserts were okay, a bit different. But were they genuinely better than a classic, well-made Cuban sweet? Honestly, no. Not for the amount of faff involved.
So, what’s my big takeaway from all this? Sometimes “fancy” is just another word for “fussy.” I think I’ve learned that while it’s fun to try new techniques, there’s a real beauty in simplicity. I’ll probably stick to perfecting the classics. They’re classics for a reason, after all. They don’t need all that extra window dressing to be truly special.
