Posts

easter rosca, rosca de pascua

Try this traditional Argentinian Rosca de Pascua recipe by Chef Ximena Saenz! 

/0 Comments/in , /by

If you’re Hispanic, then you know holidays are big and the food is often the main event. For many Latino households, the holidays are a time to gather together with family, celebrate, and indulge in delicious homemade food. And everyone looks forward to dessert! 

Today we are sharing a traditional Easter recipe popular in Argentina, the Rosca de Pascua. Similar to the Rosca de Reyes that many Latino countries enjoy during the Christmas holiday season on the Epiphany, Rosca de Pascua is a ring-shaped bread cake enjoyed by friends and family on Easter Sunday. 

Easter breads are traditional among many countries and cultures, such as the English and Irish hot cross buns and various European Easter bread loaves, as well as the New Orleans-style king cake traditionally served during Mardi Gras. 

Rosca de Pascua traditionally included colorful un-peeled hard boiled eggs as part of the decorations, but nowadays most use Easter candies and chocolate eggs instead. (Source: Ximena Saez on Twitter)

With origins in Spain and Italy, the Rosca de Pascua is a sweet brioche-like bread typically decorated with pastry cream, fruits—traditionally maraschino cherries, nuts, chocolate and more. Some roscas even contain prizes inside! 

Once upon a time the original recipe even included colorful un-peeled hard boiled eggs as part of the decorations, but nowadays most use Easter candies and chocolate eggs instead.  

Rosca de Pascua recipe by Argentinian chef Ximena Saenz 

Ximena Saenz is an Argentinian chef based in Buenos Aires. On Instagram and Youtube she shares recipes to over 500k followers. She also runs her own restaurant, Casa Saenz. 

See below Ximena’s delicious Rosca de Pascua recipe. Abundant in rich pastry cream and topped with chopped almonds this recipe will wow your guests. And don’t be afraid to add more toppings to this classic. Fruits and candies are very welcome additions your family and friends will love—especially the kids, or any sweet-tooth lover! 

See the recipe in Spanish in the post below (swipe through the images for step by step) or read on for the English translation. 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Ximena Saenz (@ximena_saenz)

Recipe translation in English

It’s a classic but it’s good to make it homemade and get up on Sunday to eat it with some mates in your pajamas! One thing to make the dough more flavorful is to add citrus zest, it can be lemon or orange (I love it). But you can also add vanilla essence.

And for the thread to come out moist, we do not have to put extra flour in the kneading, which is the moment we can add it when thinking that it is missing. I hope you have a Happy Easter! I look forward to photos of your recipes.

PS: You can freeze! ❄️

Ingredients:

Flour – 250g

White sugar – 50 g

Dry yeast – ½ packet

Lemon zest

Salt – 1 pinch

Eggs – 1 unit

Water – 85ml

Butter – 85g

Stuffed:

Eggs – 4 units

Yolks – 4 units

Milk – 1 liter

Vanilla

Orange zest

Corn starch – 40g

Flour – 40g

Sugar – 200g

To decorate:

Almonds – 150g

Candied oranges – C/N

Procedure:

  1. Mix the dry ones in a bowl.
  2. Make a crown and in the middle pour the egg with the lemon zest, the sugar and the yeast dissolved in the water. Start to knead.
  3. Slowly add the ointment butter.
  4. Knead with soufflé movements without incorporating flour (At this moment you will think that the dough does not come out but you have to continue. Lift the dough with a cornet and throw it on the counter and repeat this process many times until the dough is completely united and smooth).
  5. Put the dough in a greased bowl and cover with film. Let rise until doubled in volume.
  6. Make the pastry cream: heat the milk with half the sugar. In a bowl mix the sugar, cornstarch, eggs and yolks. Add the hot milk and cook until it boils for one minute. Add the vanilla essence and orange zest.
  7. Let the pastry cream cool, beat it and place it in a bag with a large curly beak.
  8. Shape the Easter thread: ball and make a hole in the center with a floured elbow. Place on a greased plate with a buttered flan mold in the center so that it does not close.
  9. Leave to rise, paint with egg and cook in the medium oven until semi-cooked. Remove from the oven and decorate with half the cream. Return to the oven to finish cooking. Let cool.
  10. Sprinkle some almonds with powdered sugar and take to the oven to toast.
  11. Decorate the rosca with the rest of the cold pastry cream and finish with orange peels and almonds. 

 

Design photo created by freepik - www.freepik.com'>

Celebrating 4th of July Latina Style! 

/0 Comments/in , /by

The Fourth of July holiday weekend is here! The U.S. national holiday is known for its fantastic firework shows, barbecues, picnics, and outdoor parties. If there’s anything we Latinas love is a good celebration. Today we’re sharing some fun ideas to give your 4th of July a Latina twist! 

Celebrate 4th of July Latina Style! (Design photo created by freepik)

Get the music pumping 

It’s not a Latina party if there isn’t music! Kick off your 4th of July Latina style celebration with some Latin favorites. Curate your own fabulous playlist or invite music-playing friends to bring their instruments and share some live tunes. With the right music, your celebration is off to a great start. 

Make it an asado 

Next– the food. Food is everything at a Latina party. It’s the center focus, the thing that brings everyone together. It is the foundation of the party, especially for a 4th of July celebration where the air is always smokey and sweet from the holiday’s signature BBQs. Here is the perfect place to give the holiday a little Latina flavor! Instead of just the usual hamburgers and hot dogs, make it a truly Latino asado. Incorporate other meats and foods traditional to your country. You can make carne asada marinated with chimichurri, elote, chorizo, and more!  

Fun flavors for all 

While the barbecue is a staple of the holiday, there are other tasty ways to add a Latin touch to your celebration. While you’re outside enjoying the warm weather, cool down with some traditional Latino cocktails and frozen drinks like mojitos, margaritas, and sangria. Then, break out the snacks and appetizers with chips and salsa, guacamole, or your favorite traditional dip, tapas, tortillas, empanadas, and traditional meats, cheeses, and ensaladas. And of course, no Latina meal is complete without the desserts! Prepare some of your favorite sweet treats to share with friends and family. 

Dance the night away

Get ready for a long night! No Latino party is a short event. And what better way to pass the time than to dance to those fun Latino tunes? You can even combine traditional Latin dances and songs with patriotic classics to create fun remixes in a fusion of cultures and heritages. Did you know there’s even a salsa version of The Star Spangled Banner? Check it out on YouTube and let it inspire you to create your own remix as a representation of the melting pot of cultures that makes the U.S. the diverse and multicultural nation it is.

You might be interested: Honoring and remembering the Latina heroes of the past this Memorial Day

empathy in the workplace heart disease

Heart disease among Latinas reversing the trend

/0 Comments/in , , , /by

Latinas have a higher risk of developing heart disease and it is the leading cause of death among this population. However, few Hispanic women know about this killer disease. Here are some easy steps you can take to prevent heart disease happen to you and your family.

empathy in the workplace heart disease

While heart disease doesn’t discriminate, it does have a “racial preference” where Hispanic and Latina women are concerned. And statistics are proof. According to Go Red for Women:

  • On average, Hispanic women are likely to develop heart disease 10 years earlier than non-Hispanics.
  • Only 1 in 3 Hispanic women are aware that heart disease is their No. 1 killer.

As a Latina I had to find out why and share how we can educate ourselves, reverse the trend and become preventive in our health instead of reactive.

But first let’s dig deeper into the why….

Heart disease is a “familia” affair

Family history most certainly plays a huge factor. But another overlooked cause is that many Latinas are predominantly the primary caretaker for their family and often neglect their own health…sound familiar? And often being the caretaker largely involves cooking for your family because it truly is a genuine act of love that can involve unhealthy pork products, loads of unhealthy carbohydrates and lard.

The assimilation to American traditions has also increased contributing to the quality of our diets deteriorating. Health concerns or problems are faced alone because you would not even think about burdening your family. And lastly, we are not educated enough about heart disease and how to prevent it.

Latina leadership

So what can we do about it?

First and foremost, we must commit to taking care of ourselves first! As I often tell my clients, “you cannot pour from an empty cup.” This requires you to make your health a priority in your life.

So now that you have made the commitment you might be asking yourself, “How do I start?” Here are some easy ways to start investing in your health.

  1. Learn more about the signs and symptoms of heart disease… knowledge is power.
  2. Take note of what you are cooking and how. Take a journal and track it for just 7 days. Our nutrition should be viewed as “fuel” for our bodies. If you fuel your body poorly, your body will function poorly.
  3. Learn how to find healthy swaps of your favorite ingredients so that you can still enjoy your treasured recipes but with a healthier twist! My free community on Facebook, DECIDE COMMIT SUCCEED, offers many alternatives and ways to bump up the health factor in your cooking.
  4. Incorporate daily physical activity…Just 20 minutes a day can help strengthen your cardiovascular system.
  5. Pay attention to saturated fat. Not all fat is bad, but anything with high levels of saturated fat should be avoided.
  6. Make it a lifestyle and not a quick fix…daily consistent habits turn into routine and routine becomes a way of living!

You might be interested: How to fuel your brain and triple your productivity at work

It is possible to create a heart healthy lifestyle that honors and celebrates our strong ties to cultural and family traditions. Start today!