Salvadoran quesadillas (sometimes called sweet breads) are a rich and buttery quick bread or cake. They are traditionally made with rice flour and some dairy products, baked in rectangular trays using brick ovens.
How to find them
You can find quesadillas sold by street vendors in many of El Salvador’s smaller towns. In larger cities, the market is the place to buy them.
They are usually sold in the mornings for a quick breakfast. This bread is a popular staple on Sunday mornings in many Salvadoran households.
In El Salvador, quesadillas are made with the traditional Salvadoran cheese called "queso duro blando". This is a soft, fresh cheese with a fall-like appearance.
The delicious cream
Another important ingredient is Salvadoran cream. This cream is similar to crème fraîche. It is slightly less salty than sour cream. Its color is more yellowish. Sometimes it can be found in Latin American stores and can be easily replaced with regular sour cream.
Traditionally, the quesadilla dough is prepared the day before. Then the dough is left to rest overnight at room temperature. Nowadays, many Salvadorans bake it the same day, without the resting time, and believe the flavor remains just as good.
The sweetness of the quesadillas varies greatly; some people like them very sweet, others not so much. For our recipe, I used half a cup of sugar. This amount made the quesadilla sweet enough to contrast the salty cheeses in the recipe.
Salvadoran quesadillas are among the most well-known and popular breakfast desserts and cakes in El Salvador. Foreigners love them and often take them home to share with friends and family.
