Cajeta De Celaya

''Cajeta de Celaya'' is a confection of thickened caramel usually made of sweetened caramelised goat's milk. It is a type of ''dulce de leche''. In Mexico, it is considered a specialty of the city of Celaya in the state of Guanajuato.

''Cajeta'' is made by simmering goat's milk, or occasionally a sweetened liquid, stirring frequently, until its viscosity increases due to evaporation of water, and it becomes caramelized. While goat milk is the most usual base, other liquids or juices may be used.

In Celaya, and eventually the rest of Mexico, the confection of half goat's milk and half cow's milk became known by the name ''cajeta''. Elsewhere, the milk candy is known as ''leche quemada'' or ''dulce de leche''. ''Cajeta'' is eaten on its own as a sweet; as a spread or filling for breads and pastries, such as churros; and as a topping for ice cream.

Certain liquors are added to special recipes called ''cajeta envinada''. In addition, ''cajeta envinada especial'' is enriched with raisins, almonds, pecans or nuts. Often it is used as a topping for '' crêpes'', as a sweet sauce boiled and softened down with milk to soak the crepes, resulting in a tasty dessert. It is also common to place cajeta between obleas to make a traditional Mexican candy.

Recent events

In September, 2010, ''cajeta'' was declared the Bicentennial Dessert of Mexico, honouring its history, tradition and origin. Cajeta was born in the city of Celaya, Guanajuato, the state where the Independence of Mexico started back in 1810, with the famous ''Grito de Dolores'' by father Miguel Hidalgo. In Celaya, Hidalgo was named Captain General of America by his staff, making it an important element of the Independence War. Cajeta was easily stored and transported, and lasted for several months without decomposing, thus becoming an important food complement for the poorly fed troops (Martínez, 1976).

In 2005, the Hershey Company introduced a line of ''cajeta''-flavored confections styled "Cajeta Elegancita", targeted at Mexican-food aficionados living in the United States. The marketing decision made headlines when it was discovered the word is a risqué term for the vulva in Argentinian and Uruguayan parlance. That same year, Nestlé released a "cajeta"-flavored Nesquik in Mexico.

Central America

Central American countries have featured cajetas since colonial times. These are solid, somewhat chewy sweets made in the region, especially by combining pieces of fruit with a sweetener—most often panela (a syrup derived from sugarcane).

In Costa Rica, for example, cajetas stand out among many varieties and are known for their compact, solid, and thick texture—similar to nougat. They are prepared by cooking whole milk (whether liquid, powdered, or caramelized as dulce de leche) with plenty of sugar, and they can be filled or flavored with all sorts of ingredients like nuts, jams, raisins, chocolate, or coffee. Their importance is such that they are even used as a filling for candied fruits like grapefruit, figs, and oranges.

In Nicaragua, on the other hand, there are also cajetas made from orange, sapayol, coconut, peanut, and papaya. The cajetas from Masaya are especially traditional.

See also

* Penuche
* List of Mexican dishes
* Caramel
*

Notes

References

*ENCICLOPEDIA DE MEXICO (2001). ''Enciclopedia de México''. Mexico City: Enciclopedia de México.
*EDITORIAL PORRÚA, S.A. (1964). ''Diccionario Porrúa. Historia, biografía y geografía de México''. Mexico City, Mexico: Editorial Porrúa, S.A.
* Martínez, H. (1976, 6 de septiembre). La Cajeta, aportación celayense a la culinaria mundial. Segundo Congreso del Instituto Iberoamericano de Cultura. León, Gto, México.

{{Mexican cuisine

Confectionery
Mexican desserts