PUERTO RICAN BREADS RECIPES

Steps:

• Bring 1 cup of water to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat. Add the cinnamon sticks, cloves, and anise seeds. Cover, and set aside to steep for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine 2 tablespoons water with 1/2 cup sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally to dissolve the sugar completely, but stop stirring once the mixture comes to a boil. Stay near the stove to monitor the color, swirling the pan gently to redistribute the caramel as the sugar begins to darken. Cook to about 310 degrees F (160 degrees C), or until the sugar turns light golden brown, then pour into a 9x5 inch loaf pan. Set aside to allow the caramel to harden.
• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Remove the crusts from the day-old bread, tear the bread into cubes, and place into a large mixing bowl. Strain the spice tea through a fine mesh sieve to remove the spices. Add to the bread along with the evaporated milk. Stir to evenly moisten, and set aside for 10 minutes. Whisk the eggs in a large mixing bowl along with 1 1/2 cups of sugar, the vanilla extract, salt, and melted butter. Stir in the moistened bread mixture until evenly mixed. Pour into the loaf pan over the caramel.
• Line a roasting pan with a damp kitchen towel. Place the loaf pan on the towel, inside roasting pan, and place roasting pan on oven rack. Fill roasting pan with boiling water to reach halfway up the sides of the loaf pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Cool in the pan for about an hour, then refrigerate until cold, 2 hours more. When ready, invert the budin onto a serving plate. The caramel will have turned to a syrup and will cover the budin like a sauce.

Steps:

• Combine flour, sugar, and garlic powder (optional).
• Add the butter and knead with your hands until forming grainy dough.
• Dissolve salt in water. Add the saltwater to the dough and mix until you get a consistency that is somewhat sticky but still comes off your fingers.
• Transfer the dough to a glass bowl or dish, cover with saran wrap or a damp kitchen towel, and let rest for 30 minutes.
• After 30 minutes, divide the dough into 8 small balls of equal size. Take one ball and roll it out on a clean, dry surface with a rolling pin until you get an arepa that's about 5 inches in diameter. Do the same with the remaining dough balls.
• Heat the oil in a skillet, take one arepa, and carefully drop it in the oil. Fry for 45-50 seconds until the edges become golden. Turn it over carefully and fry for another 30-40 seconds. Repeat until you are done with all 8 arepas.
• Serve them with beef, fish, roasted vegetables, or a bowl of soup.