Koserva: Dessert from Paraguay

What is it?

Kosereva is a typical dessert from Paraguay and with a high protein content as most desserts in this country. It also has a composed taste, both sour and sweet. The name comes from the Guarani word, coming also from the Spanish “conserva”, that is, preserved. Its origin is from the days when the Conquerors preserved the fruits cooking them in black molasses.

Recipe

Ingredients:

9 ripe sour oranges
1 pound of sugar
2 cups of black molasses

Preparation:

Peel the oranges, take them to a boil in water with a bit of salt. Let them cool in that water, then do the same procedure again, with clean water next day. Do that for three days, each day changing the water. Next day cut the oranges in halves and boil them in water to cover them, with the sugar and the black molasses. Do that again in the next two days, but using this same water always. (Let them cool, then next day boil again, and so on.) the third day it must boil 3 hours, so that a syrup forms.
After the third day of boiling, you can put them in jars and store them in a cool dark place. They are delicious serving them with cream cheese. Or serve them with vanilla ice cream.