Arepa is a special dessert that is traditionally prepared in an iron pot on top of red-hot coal. A metal lid is placed on top of the pot and then more coal is put on top of the lid. This led to the expression "como la Arepa, fuego por arriba y fuego por abajo" (Like an Arepa, fire underneath, fire on top), meaning being in a crossfire. Assuming you are not equipped to bake it the traditional way, for this recipe we will use a regular oven.

Time: 40 Mins
Difficulty: Medium
Serve: 6 people

Before starting to cook: Grease a baking deep-bottomed baking pan with butter. Preheat the oven to 350 °F.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoons of softened butter
• 3 cups of evaporated milk
• 3 cups of water
• 2 cups of corn flour
• 1 1/2 cup of sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1/4 cup of raisins
• 4 cinnamon sticks
• 1 cup of coconut milk

Preparation:

1. Mix all the ingredients and let rest. Put in an iron pot and put on the stove, stirring constantly to avoid sticking. When it breaks a boil lower the fire to medium and continue stirring until it reaches cream cheese-like consistency.
   
2. Pour batter into the baking pan and bake for 30-60 minutes (until you insert a knife in the center and it comes out clean), it should be golden brown on top. Let it cool down to almost room temperature before removing from the pan.
   
3. Serve with hot cocoa or coffee.

tremenda reseta se la recomiendo

I follow this recipe to a "T" but I also learned a trick from my boyfriend that his mother used to do (he just observed). She would take a ripe banana and mash it up real good (a blender or food processor really helps!) and she would mix it in with the rest while it was on the stove. You just have to be a little more careful making sure it doesn't stick. It bakes pretty much the same but it makes it so much more moist on the inside and adds to the already enticing flavor with a hint of banana!

I have made arepa followig this recipe several times. Soy gringa, but I lived in the DR for 10 years & this arepa is just like the one we ate there. I find that I have to keep the arepa in the oven at least an hour, not 30 minutes ike the recipe instructs. Has anyone else had this experience?

You are not the only one. I think a lot depends on the oven. I added a clarification to the recipe per your suggestion. Nice to hear the taste was authentic.

I see the receta calls for Corn flour, not corn meal, is that correct?

corn flour being more fine like masa harina, and corn meal being more coarse, what you would use in american corn bread, or polenta...

they both get different texture and results, so I just want to be sure!

...also...

can I bake the arepa in the same cast iron that it cooks in? Like cornbread?