Guaguas de pan –translates literally as bread babies –are sweet
breads shaped into doll like figures. When you look at the bread’s
shape you will see that it is reminiscent of a baby swaddled in a
blanket, the word guagua, sometimes also known as wawa, means baby in
Quechua. It is a traditional Ecuadorian custom to have these breads,
along with a purple corn & fruit drink called colada morada, on
November 2nd for the Day of the Deceased, Día de los Difuntos. The
traditions around this holiday vary for one place to another, but the
holiday is meant to honor the memory of relatives and friends who have
passed away.
A Tradition from Ecuador
Recipe: Guaguas de pan
Ingredients
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¼ oz. active dry yeast (~1 tbs)
1/2 cup warm milk
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp salt
4 cups all-purpose flour + additional if needed
1 tsp cinnamon
4 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 (4oz) stick of butter, unsalted, room
temperature
2 eggs yolks for brushing
Raisins, icing and sprinkles to decorate
Instructions
1. Sprinkle the yeast over warm milk and dissolve well.
2. Whisk in ½ cup of the flour until you have a creamy paste. Let it rise in a warm place
until the dough has risen and fallen, approximately 1 hour.
3. If making the dough by hand: add the eggs, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, salt and the
remaining flour to the fallen yeast mixture. Combine well and add the butter. Knead the
dough until the consistency is smooth and elastic. Add additional flour if the dough is too
sticky.
4. If making the dough with a food processor: combine the remaining flour, sugar, salt and
cinnamon in the food processor, pulse until well mixed. Add the butter and mix. Add the
4 eggs and mix. Add the yeast mixture and the vanilla. Mix until the dough start to form a
large ball. If the texture is too sticky then add some more flour. Remove the dough from
the food processor and form a large ball.
5. Let the dough rise in a warm place, covered with plastic wrap, until the size doubles,
about 2 hours.
6. Punch the dough down and work the dough a few times.
7. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface until it is about 1 inch thick; use a
homemade stencil in the shape of a “guagua” to cut out the bread dough figures.If you
make to make them more rustic looking then form the doll shapes by hand.
8. Place the bread figures on baking sheet (lightly greased or with lined with parchment
paper). Let them rise until half doubled, about 15-20 minutes.
9. In the meantime, pre-heat the oven to 350 F, if you are forming the babies using the 1
inch rolled dough. If you are making them by hand or if they are thicker, then pre-heat
the oven to 375 F.
10. Brush the tops of the bread figures with the egg yolks. If adding eyes/mouths/other
decorations using the dough or using raisins, then add them after the egg wash, which
will also act as a glue to help keep them in place.
11. Bake for approximately 15-20 minutes or until golden.
12. Let the guaguas cool down completely and then decorate using the icing and sprinkles.
13. Serve with warm or cold colada morada.
Colada Morada
Colada morada or spiced purple corn fruit drink is
a traditional Ecuadorian drink made with fruits,
spices, and purple corn flour. Colada morada is
prepared for the Day of the Deceased celebrations
in Ecuador.
Ingredients
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1 cup purple or black corn flour
14 oz naranjilla or lulo pulp (thawed if frozen)
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2 cups blackberries (frozen or fresh)
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2 cups blueberries (frozen or fresh)
2 cups strawberries, sliced
1 pineapple, peels and core + 2 cups finely diced
5-6 cinnamon sticks
4-5 whole cloves
4-5 all spice berries
12-14 oz panela or brown sugar
A few lemon verbena leaves, fresh or dry
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A few lemongrass leaves, fresh or dry
2 pieces orange peel
8 + 4 cups water
Instructions
1. Place the pineapple skins and core, cinnamon, spices and panela or brown sugar in a large pot
with 8 cups of water. Boil for about 20-25 minutes.
2. Add the lemon verbena, lemongrass, and orange peel.
3. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove and strain.
4. In a separate pot, add 4 cups of water with the blueberries and blackberries, boil for about 20
minutes. Remove from heat, let cool down until safe to handle, blend and strain.
5. Mix the cup of the purple corn flour with 1 cup of the spice pineapple liquid until well diluted.
6. Add the strained berry mix, the naranjilla juice, the spiced pineapple liquid and the diluted
purple flour mix to a large pot.
7. Cook over medium heat, stir constantly to keep it from sticking, bring to a boil.
8. Add the pineapple chunks and reduce to simmer for about 10 minutes.
9. Remove from the heat, add the strawberry slices. Serve warm or cold.