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Street Sweet · Candied Squash

Ayote en Miel

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The squash is boiled whole in chunks, rind and all, for hours — the long cooking is what turns the tough shell soft enough to eat.

Chunks of hard squash are simmered for hours in raw cane-sugar syrup with cinnamon and cloves until they turn deep amber and translucent. León's dulceras ladle it into cups, syrup and all, from clay pots set up on street corners.

Why it's made this way: It is one of the anchor desserts of León's centuries-old sweets trade, traditionally prepared in the days before Easter but sold by the city's street vendors throughout the year.
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Part of World of Street Food — 690 dishes from 118 countries. Something wrong here? Tell us in the comments below. Photo credits.