Melado de panela is a thick syrup that is popular in Colombia. It is used with some of our traditional desserts and it is made with panela (raw sugar cane).
What is Panela?
It is a product that is made with sugarcane, it is sweet and brown, it is sold in blocks or grated and the flavor is similar to brown sugar. However, panela has a lot of vitamins and minerals and is supposed to be good for you.
This ingredient is also popular in other countries and is known by many different names. In Central America it is known as (papelón), Mexico (Piloncillo), Ecuador, Perú and Bolivia (chancaca).
In Colombian it is used in a drink called “agua de panela”, which literally means “panela water”. It is also used to sweeten coffee, chocolate, melado and to make desserts.
Agua de panela with lime is used by a lot of grandmothers in Colombia to help with flu symptoms.
What is Melado?
Also known as "melao de panela" is a traditional Colombian tick and rich syrup made with sugarcane, water and spices. Some cooks and lime or orange peel to their recipe.
This sweet sauce is used to served with cheese, yuca balls, ripe plantain or sometimes to cook pork or beef.
Ingredients You'll Need
The printable recipe card with exact amounts and cooking directions is below.
Panela: Sugarcane is sold online or at your local market. You can replace it with brown sugar.
Water: To cook the panela.
Spices: Cinnamon sticks and ground cloves for flavor.
How to make Melado de Panela?
- Place all the ingredients in a small pot and cook over medium-low heat until the panela is dissolve completely and has syrup consistency.
- Place in a serving dish and let it cool.
Recipes to Use Melado
Queso con Melado (Cheese with Syrup)
Boilitas de Yuca con Melado (Yuca Balls with Syrup)
Melado de Panela (Colombian Sugarcane Syrup) Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup 8oz grated panela or brown sugar
- 2 cups water
- 1 cinnamon stick
- Pinch ground cloves
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients in a small pot and cook over medium-low heat until the panela is dissolve completely and has syrup consistency.
- Place in a serving dish and let it cool.
pigpigscorner
I've never heard of this. It reminds me of palm sugar.
Oysterculture
Panela sounds very interesting and versatile. I'm doing a post of sugars and their different names around the world, as it can be a challenge sometimes to find a substitute when you get home for a recipe that calls for something different. Have you found any with your Columbian cooking trying to adapt to American ingredients?
Erica
Oyster culture- Yes- all the time, but I am lucky to have a Latin supermarket 30 minutes away from my house and they have good stuff. Some vegetables, fruits and cheese are really hard to find.
Kim
Wow - it looks almost like a block of caramel. Sounds like a delicious syrup that I would be only more than happy to drink. It looks very warm and inviting.
Jenn AKA The Leftover Queen
I learned something new today. I have never heard of Melado, but it sounds yummy!
Anna
That's interesting, we have something similar in Brazil. But different name, "panela" is pan in portuguese.
Joanne
This looks delicious! Would you use it to drizzle over cakes?
Erica
Joanne- That is a great idea!
vinolia
nice syrup erica! very interesting!
I don't know the name "panela" but it looks like jaggery (it's also called vellam in tamil) we use it in sweets and to sweeten teas too 🙂
Pilar
Hola Erica, Ahorita te puse un comentario y como que se perdio. Te felicito nuevamente por tu blog y tus recetas. Ya he hecho varias. Saludos desde Colombia.
Velva
I learned something new today. I had never heard of panela until today. Very nice.
Pilar
Erica, Remember Cuajada con Melado? And Agua de Panela con Queso? Or iced Agua de Panela with Lime Juice (Agua de Panela con Limon)? For those of you who are not Colombian: Cuajada is a very fresh cheese and it is delicious slightly warmed until chewy and covered with the thick melado. So good! Or you can heat Agua de Panela and pour it into a mug that has cubes of fresh cheese in it. The same as we, in Colombia, do with hot chocolate. The cheese cubes almost melt and you scoop them out of the cup or mug with a spoon during or after you drink either the Agua de Panela or Hot Chocolate. Agua de Panela is also great during the summer ice cold and with some lime juice in it to cut the sweetness with a little tartness.
Congratulations Erica, you are doing a great job with this blog!
Erica
Pilar-Thank you so much for the wonderful comment 🙂 I appreciate it!
Erica
Thank you everyone for the comments!
Pilar
I love your website. I lived in the States for 30 years and moved back to Colombia. To me, you have the most delicious Colombian recipes and I look for any recipe in your website first. Gracias
Muneeba
Oh, I think we have something similar in my culture ... called gurr. I think it's called jaggery in english. Lovely flavor!
Sarah Naveen
This is a real new one for me..Sounds great..Nice post
Ivy
Very interesting. Never heard of melado before but the word sounds very Greek to me. Melato is something very sweet and the word for honey is meli.
rebecca subbiah
looks good but very sweet for me, like jaggery in Indian maybe
Chris
Interesting, I've never heard of it. Is the syrup then just used as a glaze for desserts or as an ingredient?
Erica
Chris- Both ways.