We all had that urge to go to the refrigerator every now and then, right?
And if we end up being disappointed even though we already know that the fridge is empty, we move on to other parts of the kitchen–and you see that one shining piece of can–the powdered milk. Looking left and right, you go for it and open the can, stuffing your mouth full of the powdered milk. Sneaky stuff, huh?
Well, you don’t have to worry about that anymore! And you don’t have to hide the fact that you love powdered milk, because you can make it even better by upgrading it to a better treat–in the form of what we call Pastillas (or Pastillas De Leche)!
In this recipe article, you will learn how to make a quick and easy delightful treat which can also be a good idea if you want to give gifts to your loved ones. Read on below to learn more about the pastillas and see some tips and trivia along the way.
What is a Pastillas?
Pastillas is a dessert made of milk, usually from carabaos, which is hardened and made into a candy in the shape of a cylinder, or a pill. The word itself is a Spanish word which literally means “pills”. And to be more specific, it is actually called pastillas de leche in full, which means milk pills.
This sweet delicacy is known to have originated in Bulacan. And of course, this is because of the Spanish influence, since they used to supply various goods here and there.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Milk
Since this is a milky dessert, we will be using 2 types of milk for this dish. First, we will use powdered milk and you can pick any brand of your choice. Second, we will use sweetened condensed milk (not sweetened condensed creamer or condensada). Any brand is also okay for this.
Lime Zest
The purpose of the lime zest is to give the pastillas aroma and enhance the flavor by contradicting its milky sweetness. It is a subtle ingredient which gives the pastillas a new kind of feel to it so it is recommended in this recipe to give it a try.
Aside from these, we will also be using other regular pantry ingredients like sugar, and butter. If you are filling up your pantry, here’s a handy shopping guide:
Equipment You’ll Need
This is a no-cook recipe and you will only need a mixing bowl and any mixing tool you have at home. Really easy!
In need of kitchen tools and equipment? Read this before you buy:
How to Make Pastillas
Making pastillas is easy peasy! This is probably one of the quickest and easiest desserts you can make, and it surely is satisfying because of its sweetness. All you have to do is to mix your ingredients and then form them into the traditional pill-shape or round-shapes.
The key to having nice pastillas is to make sure that you have a smooth dough-like mixture. Some tools you can use to do that, is to have a strainer or the sifter with you.
Powdered milk can sometimes have those large chunks of powder clumped together. So to get rid of that, use the strainer when adding the powdered milk into the mixing bowl.
Also, if you’re finding that the mixture is too dry, you could add more condensed milk to give it that thickness it needs. On the other hand, if you’re finding that the mixture is too sticky, you could add more powdered milk to it.
Variations of Pastillas
Here are some minor additions or changes to the recipe which you can experiment on:
Stuffed Pastillas – give them more depth by doubling the dessert! You could try to add small yema pieces or ube pieces in every piece you make to give you that extra sweetness you’ve been craving for.
Flavored Pastillas – if you think that your pastillas are too plain, you could try to add other flavors to it using extracts such as ube, pandan, strawberry, or even Milo pastillas. You could also add in the appropriate food coloring to have the appropriate color on how it tastes.
How to Serve and Store Pastillas
You can definitely enjoy this right away after making them. But since you are making a batch and would probably be storing this, a common practice is to wrap them in what we call a cellophane plastic wrapper. You can also use a wax paper wrapper as an alternative.
Other Filipino Desserts
For a quick reference about this recipe, see the recipe table below:
Easy Pastillas Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups powdered milk
- 1 can (390 g or 13.75 oz) condensed milk
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp lime zest, optional
- 1 tbsp butter, optional
Instructions
- In a bowl, pour-in the condensed milk and add-in the powdered milk. Mix until well-incorporated.
- Add-in the butter and the lime zest. Mix with the other ingredients until a dough-like texture is formed.
- Scoop part (1 tsp to 1 tbsp) of the mixture and roll it with your hands to form a sphere shape. Do it for the rest of the mixture.
- In a plate, add-in the sugar. Transfer the pastillas balls on the plate and coat it all over with sugar. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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