Guatemalan Cuisine: Postre de Mora

Okay, here’s something sweet to end the work week. I came across this blackberry dessert at La Casa de las Mixtas; one of favorite hangouts for lunch lately. According to the owner they do similar desserts with strawberries, pineapples and other berries. Below you get the basic recipe as told by the owner of the restaurant La Casa de las Mixtas, established in 1901.

Mora is the name for blackberry (correct me if I am wrong); no I am not referring to the BlackBerry wireless handheld device. Rather, I am talking about the aggregate fruit from a bramble bush, genus Rubus in the rose family Rosaceae.

The recipe for the blackberry dessert is so simple that even I can prepare it. Basically you have to liquify the blackberries with water and sugar; not too much water since you want to end up with watery paste. How much sugar it is up to you, but plenty to get the jelly consistency. Then you put this watery blackberry paste into a pot, along with cinnamon sticks and cloves and bring to a boil and then simmer down until you obtain a jelly consistency. That’s it, let it cool and refrigerate and you’re ready to serve your blackberry dessert. You can do the same thing with other berries, like strawberries and pineapples.

When was the last time you had moras?