Peruvian Piura Chumbeque

Chumbeque is a sweet of baked dough layers joined with a sugar and lime syrup, associated with Piura in northern Peru.

The Peruvian version differs from the one in northern Chile: it has no egg yolks and uses vegetable shortening.

Peruvian Piura Chumbeque

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• Author: Recetas123
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
• Yield: 22 servings
• Category: Dessert
• Cuisine: Peruvian

Print Recipe

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Ingredients

For the dough

• 4 kg wheat flour
• 1½ kg vegetable shortening
• 120 g baking soda
• 1 liter of water
• Yellow food coloring

For the syrup

• 2 kg white sugar
• Juice of 4 limes, strained
• Water, as needed
• Cinnamon, cloves, and fig leaves, to taste (optional)
• Ground cinnamon, for dusting

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Preparation

1. Make the dough, soften the shortening over the heat. Dissolve the coloring and baking soda in the liter of water. Make a well with the flour, add the shortening and water, and knead into a smooth dough; wrap it in plastic and refrigerate for at least an hour.
2. Shape the sheets, roll the dough into a rectangle 4 to 5 mm thick and cut it into three equal strips. Place them on baking sheets and prick them with a fork.
3. Bake, bake the sheets in an oven preheated to 150 °C (300 °F) for 20 to 30 minutes.
4. Make the syrup, boil water with the sugar and lime juice until it thickens; if you like, flavor it with cinnamon, cloves, and fig leaves.
5. Assemble the chumbeque, spread the warm syrup evenly over the sheets and stack them like a three-layer alfajor; dust with ground cinnamon. Let cool before cutting into squares or rectangles.

Tips

• Chill the dough for at least an hour: it will be easier to roll out.
• Prick the sheets well so they don’t puff up in the oven.
• Use the syrup warm, not boiling, so it doesn’t soften the dough too much.
• Cut the chumbeque only once it’s cold.

Traditional variations

• The syrup can be flavored with cinnamon, cloves, and fig leaves.

How to serve

Serve the chumbeque cold, cut into squares or rectangles, with coffee or tea.

Recommended pairings

• Coffee
• Tea

Did you know?

Chumbeque is one of Piura’s traditional sweets, alongside cocada and Piura-style rice pudding.