Chilean sweet “pajaritos” are one of the typical recipes for Fiestas Patrias, helping to complement the large amount of savory foods consumed during these festivities, although you can also find them available throughout the year.
Contents
How to make Sweet “Pajaritos”?
These are sweet and fluffy pastries traditionally shaped like “little birds”, covered in meringue and optionally decorated with colorful sprinkles, creating a delicious way to accompany teatime.
Nutritional Information
Category: Desserts
Cuisine: Chilean
Calories: 400
Preparation: 70 minutes
Cooking: 30 minutes
Servings: 12 people
Traditional Sweet “Pajaritos” recipe
Ingredients
1. Dough for Sweet “Pajaritos”
- 1 kg of flour
- 300 ml of warm milk
- 200 g of sugar
- 125 g of butter
- 40 g of fresh yeast
- 4 egg yolks
- Lemon zest
- Cloves
2. Meringue
- 4 egg whites
- 1 cup of sugar
- A pinch of salt
Preparation
- In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in a little milk and sugar and let it rest for 10 minutes. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, sift the flour and make a well in the center. Add the sugar, lemon zest, cloves, melted butter, and eggs, stirring everything with a wooden spoon to integrate.
- Add the dissolved yeast and the rest of the milk gradually, incorporating as needed until obtaining a homogeneous mixture. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let it rest for 30 minutes.
- Form balls of two sizes with the dough, about 6 and 3 centimeters respectively, the larger ones for the “body” of the sweet “pajaritos” and the smaller ones for the “head”. Make two lateral cuts with scissors on the larger dough balls to shape the wings. Shape the smaller dough balls into a drop shape. Join both parts with a toothpick and paint the “pajaritos” with a little diluted egg yolk. Let rise for about 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (392°F) for at least 10 minutes. Bake the “pajaritos” for about 25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and cool on a wire rack, carefully removing the toothpicks.
- Dissolve the sugar in the egg whites in a bain-marie and add a pinch of salt. Mix with a mixer for about 10 minutes until obtaining a meringue of good consistency.
- Crown the sweet “pajaritos” with the meringue, optionally decorate with colorful sprinkles, and serve immediately.
Soft and fluffy “Pajaritos”
Since it is a fermented dough, when preparing Chilean sweet “pajaritos,” it is important to respect the resting and leavening times in order to ensure a soft, smooth, and fluffy dough.
Did you know?
“Pajaritos” are a Chilean sweet originated from the Biobío region, in the south of Chile, from where its popularity has spread throughout the country, mainly during the celebrations of “Fiestas Patrias” in September.
