Sopaipillas in syrup

Ingredients

• 390 g (3 cups)plain flour
• 5 g (1 teaspoon)baking powder
• 1 teaspoonsalt
• 200 g (1 cup)cooked pumpkin
• 42 g (3 tablespoons)melted lard or butter
• For fryingoil
• 225 g (1 packet)chancaca
• 1 pieceorange peel
• 3whole cloves
• 480 ml (2 cups)water
• 1 tablespooncornflour

Instructions

1. 1

   Mix the dough

   In a bowl, combine the cooked pumpkin, flour, salt, baking powder and melted lard or butter. Bring everything together into a smooth dough.

2. 2

   Roll it out

   On a work surface, roll the dough with a rolling pin until it is 1 cm thick.

3. 3

   Cut the rounds

   Cut the dough into circles of your preferred size.

4. 4

   Fry the sopaipillas

   Prick each circle with a fork. Fry in plenty of hot oil, then keep the heat at medium, turning the rounds until they are coloured on both sides.

5. 5

   Drain the rounds

   Transfer the cooked sopaipillas to absorbent paper.

6. 6

   Make the syrup

   Put the chancaca, water, orange peel and cloves in a saucepan.

7. 7

   Thicken the syrup

   Once the chancaca has dissolved, stir well. Add the cornflour mixed with a little cold water, stirring as you do. When the syrup reaches its first boil, turn off the heat.

8. 8

   Soak and serve

   Put a couple of sopaipillas in the saucepan for a few minutes, then serve immediately.

What are sopaipillas?

Sopaipillas are a familiar part of Chilean cooking: rounds of dough enriched with pumpkin and fried until golden. This version is served in chancaca syrup, turning a simple fried dough into a warm, sweet treat.

Pumpkin gives the dough colour and softness, while the syrup brings sweetness and spice. The contrast between the fried rounds and the fragrant sauce is what makes this version especially inviting.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 140 calories, 2g protein, 20g carbs, 5g fat.

The flour and chancaca supply most of the carbohydrates, while the lard or butter and oil absorbed during frying contribute much of the fat. The dough and pumpkin provide a modest amount of protein. For a more balanced plate, serve a smaller portion alongside fruit rather than adding another sweet topping.

The dough ingredients

Pumpkin: use cooked pumpkin, as specified, and combine it with the dry ingredients until the dough is smooth. Its moisture helps bring the flour together.

Fat: melted lard or butter is mixed into the dough for richness. Either works; choose according to the flavour you prefer.

Rolling and cutting

Thickness: roll the dough to 1 cm, as directed, so the rounds have enough substance to stay soft inside while frying.

Shape: circles can be cut to your preferred size. Keeping them roughly even helps them cook at a similar rate.

Frying safely and evenly

Hot oil: fry the rounds in plenty of hot oil, then reduce the heat to medium. This gives them time to colour on both sides without relying on a very high heat throughout.

Doneness: look for colour on both sides, as the method instructs. Drain the cooked rounds on absorbent paper before adding them to the syrup.

Getting the syrup right

Chancaca: dissolve it in the water with the orange peel and cloves before adding the cornflour mixture. Stir well once it has dissolved.

Cornflour: first mix it with a little cold water, then stir it into the syrup. Switch off the heat at the first boil, as directed.

Serving them warm

Soaking: dip a couple of sopaipillas in the saucepan for a few minutes so they take on some syrup. Serve them immediately while warm.

Pairing: these are sweet and filling, so they work well as a dessert or afternoon snack. A cup of unsweetened tea or coffee makes a simple accompaniment.

Recipe notes & tips

• Have the pumpkin cooked before you start mixing the dough.
• Roll the dough to an even 1 cm thickness for more consistent frying.
• Prick each round with a fork before frying, as directed.
• Keep the oil at medium heat after the initial hot start and watch the colour on both sides.
• Mix the cornflour with cold water before adding it to the hot syrup.
• Soak only a couple of rounds at a time and serve them promptly.

Variations

• Butter dough: use butter instead of lard for the dough.
• Clove balance: use fewer cloves for a gentler spice flavour.
• Orange aroma: add a little more orange peel to the syrup while it cooks.
• Smaller rounds: cut smaller circles for bite-sized portions.
• Less syrup: serve the sopaipillas with a smaller amount of sauce.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Uneven dough: roll it to a consistent 1 cm thickness so the rounds cook more evenly.
• Skipping the fork: prick each round before frying to follow the method and help prevent it puffing excessively.
• Oil too hot: reduce the heat to medium after the oil is hot so the rounds can colour without scorching.
• Lumpy thickener: mix the cornflour with cold water before stirring it into the syrup.
• Overcooking the syrup: turn off the heat as soon as it reaches its first boil.
• Leaving them to soak too long: dip a couple of rounds for a few minutes and serve immediately.

How to store

Store leftover sopaipillas and syrup separately in covered containers in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat the rounds in an oven until warm and briefly warm the syrup in a saucepan; the fried rounds will be less crisp after storage.

Frequently asked questions