Having spent almost a year in Colombia now, my sweet tooth and I are becoming quite familiar with the gastronomy and the variety of traditional Colombian desserts. Some seem to be originating from its Spanish ancestors and others invented during the French colonialism. Although the fine French patisserie has been reinvented in Colombia, some things are quite good, others are OK, while are others are a bit strange (at least for me). You’ll notice most things contain milk or products derived from it so it’s a no-go for all you lactose intolerant folks.
**Don’t miss the 13 Must-Try Traditional Colombian Foods**
Please note that different regions might have other specialties, but in the capital, these are the most common traditional Colombian desserts you’ll find.
This Colombian dessert is basically milk fat (the skin that forms on top of milk when heated) mixed with sugar. Yumm!
Credit to IG @melaodulcecaseros
Rice pudding. For me, this is the traditional Colombian dessert eaten at grandma’s house. Why don’t we pile on the carbs after our double carb meal (usually meat with rice and potatoes, accompanied by pasta as an appetizer, of course)?
This traditional Colombian dessert consists of figs with arequipe/dulce de leche (although Argentinians and Colombians claim these two are very different). You can find this Colombian dessert fresh or packaged. I personally think figs are sweet enough that arequipe doesn’t need to enter the picture.
This Colombian dessert is a fresh cheese doused in melted panela (unpasteurized, unrefined raw sugarcane). Sure, why not?
Milhojas is an adaptation of the French millefeuille, with layers of English cream and or whip cream in between sheets of puff pastry, but mostly just a lot of arequipe.
A huge meringue mixed with whip cream and fruit. One of my favorite Colombian desserts is the merengon de guanabana.
Flan. You know what it is.
This Colombian cake is made with the goat’s milk, cow’s milk and cat’s milk. Typical Colombian creatures found roaming around Bogotá. Just kidding, I wanted to see if you were actually reading. This cake contains sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk and you guessed it…plain old normal cow’s milk. Oh-so-delicious in small quantities.
This Colombian dessert is a thin crispy wafer sandwich filled with arequipe/dulce de leche.
You easily find them on the streets and can also be filled with jam cheese and other toppings. This is actually my favorite Colombian dessert right next to…
Strawberries and cream. Sexy.
And last and least (at least for me): guava paste with cheese. Definitely not up my alley but some claim to love this Colombian dessert!
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Other popular Colombian desserts you’re likely to find in the country, although not native to Bogota, are ice cream (As you’ll notice with all the paleterias and artesenal ice cream shops, Bogotanos LOVE ice cream), raspao and cholado amongst probably a long list of others.
Honestly, Colombian desserts aren’t the highlight of the country’s culinary offer. You’ll often find desserts aren’t offered at the end of a meal in a popular restaurant, or if they are, it’s most likely to be a small banal sweet.
But with a growing immigration and a booming culinary scene, I’m sure Colombia will think up of more creative ways to present it’s amazing variety of fruits and come up with something better to do with its guayaba apart from just bocadillo con queso.
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What’s your favorite Colombian dessert? Does salpicon count?
**Feeling parched? Check out the 15 Typical Colombian Drinks You’ll Find in Bogota**
Leave me a comment on your take on Colombian desserts below!
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Have you had Tres Leches in the States by any chance? None of the ones I've had here tastes "right" or rather, the way I'm used to. I suspect this might be a matter of know-how though, as one of them wasn't even evenly soaked through or evenly with the liquid...one was dry! The dulce de guayaba I have to respectfully disagree on though, I love it, although I am half Colombian, and that was the one Colombian sweet (or anything, really!) that was easily found in the U.S. growing up.
As for Brownies...I'm a HUGE fan, but all the ones I've had here are actually chocolate cake! The travesty!
I'm with you--I'm not crazy about the bocadillo con queso. I've tried variations of milhojas, but by far the best one I've had is at La Galleta in Villa de Leyva. VdL has other dessert highlights, but not necessarily of Colombian origin. (Brownies at Mathilda Blain's come to mind, as does the almond croissant at the French patisserie. These obviously don't really count...
I'm enjoying your fun/interesting blogs about Colombia. I'm blogging about our adventures in Colombia as well--viasophiablog@wordpress.com
Hi Dawn! Thanks for your comment and support! I'll definitely take a read :)