Empanadas de Platano con leche (Sweet Plantain empanadas)
- glendarenderos1
- Dec 10, 2023
- 3 min read
Updated: Nov 25
This is my favorite dessert Salvadoreño and if your're a plantain lover these might become your favorite!
What are empanadas de platano?
Empanadas de plátano are one of my top two favorite desserts from El Salvador. They’re made with ripe sweet plantains, leche poleada (a sweet milk pudding), and rolled in light sugar. You cook the plantains and mash them down to form the “dough,” then stuff them with the sweet milk pudding and fry until golden brown.
In my opinion, the best time to enjoy them is when they’re freshly fried. I’ve always eaten them but never made them myself, so I had to ask my mom to teach me her ways. She and my grandma used to sell them in front of their house when my mom was in her late teens.
Below are the ingredients and step‑by‑step instructions.
How to make emapanadas de platano?
Ingredients: 25-30 empanadas depending on the size
10-11 plantains
1 cinnamon stick
2/4 tsp vanilla
3 cups of whole milk
1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup rice flour
Wash and clean the plantains with water and a new sponge.
Cut off both ends of each plantain, then cut it into three pieces.
Place a large pot with enough water to cover the plantains over medium‑high heat. Add 1/4 tsp of vanilla and 1/2 stick of cinnamon.
Once the water is hot, place the plantain pieces in the pot. Cook them until you can easily pierce with a fork or until you see the plantain popping out of the peel.
Remove from the heat, drain the water, and peel the plantains. Place the peeled plantains in a large container.
Mash the plantains until smooth. This can be done by hand, with a hand mixer, or with a stand mixer. Once mashed to the desired consistency, place them in their final container and let cool.
Place a pot on the stove over medium heat and add 2 1/2 cups of whole milk, 1/2 cinnamon stick, 1/4 tsp vanilla, and 1/4 cup of sugar (adjust sugar to taste). Whisk together and set the heat to low‑medium.
In a separate container, dissolve 1/2 cup of rice flour in the remaining 1/2 cup of milk.
Once the milk in the pot begins to boil, reduce the heat to low and slowly whisk in the rice flour mixture. This will thicken the milk. Once you reach the desired consistency, turn off the heat and continue whisking for about 2 minutes. Remove the cinnamon stick and let the mixture cool for 10–15 minutes.
Once both the plantain and the poleada (milk pudding) have cooled, place a frying pan over medium heat with enough vegetable oil to cover the empanadas halfway.
To assemble: Rub a little oil on your hands so the mashed plantain doesn’t stick. Take about 2 oz of mashed plantain, shape it into a small tortilla, and add 1/2–1 tbsp of poleada. Close the tortilla into the shape of an empanada and form it into an oval with your hands.
Once the oil is hot, add the empanada. Fry until golden brown on both sides, about 1–2 minutes per side.
Remove from the frying pan and place on a rack or paper towel to rest for 5 minutes before serving. You may sprinkle sugar or roll them in sugar before serving (optional). With or without sugar, they are still delicious.
