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Caramelized plantains (Dulce de platanos maduros)

Easy recipe for ripe plantains caramelized in a spiced syrup of panela/piloncillo, sweet wine, cinnamon, and spices.

Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
50 mins
Course: Dessert , Snacks
Cuisine: South American

Ingredients

For the spiced panela or piloncillo syrup:
  • 8 ounces of panela/piloncillo can be replaced with brown sugar
  • 1 cup of sweet wine such as Riesling or Moscato, can also use sparkling grape juice instead of sweet wine
  • 2-3 whole allspice berries
  • 4 cloves
  • 2-3 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 tablespoon of Tabasco Chipotle sauce adjust to your preference or replace with 1 tsp chipotle paste
For the caramelized plantains:
  • 4 tablespoons of butter
  • 3-4 very ripe plantains peeled and sliced into halves or thick rounds

Instructions

For the spiced sweet syrup:
    Cup of Yum
  1. Combine the panela/piloncillo or brown sugar with the sweet wine, all spice, cloves, and cinnamon sticks in a small saucepot.
  2. Cook over low heat until the panela/piloncillo is completely dissolved, add about ½ tablespoon of Tabasco Chipotle sauce, and continue simmering until the syrup is infused with the flavor of the spices, taste and add the additional Tabasco Chipotle sauce based on your spiciness preference level.
  3. Strain the syrup to remove the whole spices (cloves, all-spice, cinnamon), and save the syrup. You can add back the cinnamon sticks if desired, but make sure to completely remove the smaller spices.
For the caramelized plantains:
  1. Heat the butter in large pan or skillet.
  2. Add the plantains and fry them on each side until golden.
  3. Add the panela or piloncillo syrup, cook for about 25-30 minutes on low medium heat.
  4. Serve the caramelized plantains warm with fresh cream or with coconut ice cream.