MAIN INGREDIENTS
Dulce de batata is a jelly-like dessert prepared with a base of mashed sweet potatoes, sugar, vanilla flavoring, and a thickening agent. When cooked, dulce is left to set and should always be well-chilled. It is usually enjoyed as a dessert, which is traditionally served with cheese to create a Latin American favorite known as vigilante or Martín Fierro.
Although the origin of dulce de batata is often disputed, it is enjoyed throughout Latin America.
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Bolas de fraile is the Argentine and Uruguayan version of a doughnut. It is made without a hole in the center, and the doughnut is usually filled with dulce de leche, then dusted with powdered sugar. It is believed that bolas de fraile is derived from a popular Germany pastry called Berliner Pfannkuchen.
The name of these tasty doughnuts means balls of weakness, and it is said that the name was invented by anti-clergy anarchists who wanted to oppose a harsh regime that was imposed by the Catholic church.
Garrapiñada is an Uruguayan and Argentinian street food item consisting of peanuts roasted in a combination of sugar, water, and vanilla essence. When the peanuts are completely coated and the syrup hardens, they are ready to eat. This treat can be found on the streets of Uruguay and Argentina, where it is sold by vendors called garrapiñeros.
They put the peanuts in a small, long bag and hand it over to customers who then eat the peanuts on the go. Apart from peanuts, garrapiñada can also be made with almonds and walnuts.
The unique combination of cheese (ideally, salty and firm manchego cheese) and a slice of flavorful quince paste known as dulce de membrillo makes the Uruguayan treat known as Martín Fierro. The dish got its name from a character with the same name, popularized in the stories of José Hernández, who wrote about freedom and gauchos - an equivalent to the American cowboys.
Hernández always ordered a dessert based on the popular Argentinian treat known as Vigilante - a dish of cheese slices combined with a sweet potato paste. Uruguay's version of the dish replaced the sweet potato paste with quince paste, and since Hernández was a famous activist for gaucho rights and his every move was observed, the news of his preference for the Uruguayan version of the dish quickly spread across the country.
TasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot, nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable. For the “4 Worst Rated Uruguayan Desserts” list until April 19, 2025, 1,246 ratings were recorded, of which 821 were recognized by the system as legitimate. TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods, instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.