Alegria: the pre-Hispanic amaranth sweet

What is it?

Alegria is one of the oldest and most deeply identity-driven sweets of Mexico, a crunchy bar made with popped amaranth (toasted seeds that puff up like tiny popcorn) and a piloncillo or honey caramel that binds them. It has a light, airy texture, pale yellow colour, sweet flavour with toasted-nut notes from the amaranth and molasses from the piloncillo. Its name, 'alegria' (happiness), evokes the joy associated with eating this sacred food. It has been made since pre-Hispanic times with a recipe practically identical to the modern one; the ancient Mexica considered it a ritual and power food, associated with amaranth (huauhtli in Nahuatl), one of the four sacred crops along with maize, beans and chia. Tulyehualco, a town in Xochimilco south of Mexico City, is considered the capital of alegria: each year it holds the Alegria and Olive Fair, one of the most important sweet-making festivals in Mexico.

Origin and history

Alegria is one of the sweets with the greatest documented antiquity in Mexico. Amaranth (Amaranthus hypochondriacus and A. cruentus) was cultivated by the ancient Mexicans for at least five thousand years. Sahagun, in the 16th-century Florentine Codex, records huauhtli as one of the four sacred crops, offered to the gods and consumed in drinks, ritual breads and sweets. 'Zoales', human and god figures made with amaranth masa, maguey honey and human or sacrificial animal blood, were consumed at Nahua festivities. The Spanish conquistadors banned amaranth cultivation at the start of the colonial period because of its association with rituals considered 'idolatrous'; the plant remained marginalised for centuries. Tulyehualco preserved the tradition clandestinely, adapting the recipe to a simpler version (without masa, only popped seeds and piloncillo caramel). Larousse Cocina identifies alegria as one of the oldest and most emblematic traditional sweets in the Mexican repertoire. The recovery of amaranth cultivation during the 20th century, driven by international bodies that identified it as the 'grain of the future' due to its exceptional nutritional profile, has restored alegria's prominence as a symbol of Mexican cultural recovery.

Characteristic ingredients

Popped amaranth (seeds toasted on a comal until they puff up like mini-popcorn) is the essential ingredient; organic Mexican amaranth from native varieties is preferred. Grated piloncillo is the traditional sweetener, although some modern variants use bee's honey or agave syrup. Some recipes add butter for greater brightness and lemon juice to control crystallisation. Rich variants incorporate chopped nuts, raisins, peanuts, pine nuts, pumpkin seeds or sesame, combined with the amaranth. The classic preparation consists of making a caramel by cooking the piloncillo with a little water over medium heat until the hard-ball stage (130 to 140 degrees Celsius); remove from the heat, add the popped amaranth, mixing quickly to coat all the seeds with the caramel, and pour onto a greased surface or one lined with waxed paper. Flatten with a moistened rolling pin to obtain a uniform thickness of one to two centimetres and cut rectangles before it solidifies completely. Some Tulyehualco traditions make circular alegrias (like wafers) instead of rectangular ones. The usual proportion is three hundred grams of popped amaranth to three hundred grams of piloncillo. Alegrias are sold in individual rectangular or circular pieces, generally wrapped in transparent cellophane that shows off the characteristic airy texture.

Cultural significance

Alegria is one of the most deeply symbolic sweets in the Mexican gastronomic heritage. Traditional Mexican cuisine, UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage since 2010, identifies amaranth and its derivatives among the sacred pre-Hispanic foods that make up the country's food cultural heritage. Tulyehualco, a town in Xochimilco south of Mexico City, is the undisputed capital of Mexican alegria: every February it holds the Alegria and Olive Fair (olive trees also arrived in the region during the colonial period), where hundreds of artisanal producers exhibit regional variants and take part in competitions. The Mexican Government, through Sader, has promoted amaranth cultivation as a food-security crop thanks to its exceptional nutritional profile: it provides complete proteins (with all the essential amino acids), fibre, calcium, iron, magnesium and antioxidants. The FAO has identified amaranth as one of the 'grains of the future' capable of fighting hunger and malnutrition. The amaranth industry in Mexico sustains more than four thousand peasant families, mainly in the State of Mexico, Puebla, Tlaxcala, Morelos and Mexico City (Tulyehualco). Cooperatives in Tulyehualco and Tehuacan have gained international recognition with their amaranth products.

Frequently asked questions

What does alegria taste like?

It tastes mainly of the sweetness of caramelised piloncillo with a creamy, slightly nutty background from the popped amaranth. The texture is very light and airy (the popped seeds are extremely thin), crunchy but not hard. It is reminiscent of a mixture of sweet popcorn and a granola bar, but with a more subtle and delicate profile. The flavour is not intense but subtle and comforting; it is one of the most palate-friendly traditional Mexican sweets, suitable for children and older people.

What is amaranth and why is it sacred?

Amaranth (huauhtli in Nahuatl) is a plant native to Mesoamerica with exceptionally nutritious small seeds. It was one of the four sacred crops of the Mexica (with maize, beans and chia). It was offered to the gods and used in ritual 'zoales' figures made of amaranth masa and maguey honey. The Spanish banned its cultivation because of its association with 'idolatry'. Today it is recognised as a 'grain of the future' by the FAO for its complete proteins and its ability to combat malnutrition.

Where does alegria come from?

It originates in the Valley of Mexico, with deeply documented pre-Hispanic roots among the Nahua peoples. Tulyehualco, a town in Xochimilco south of Mexico City, is considered the traditional capital of alegria. After the Spanish prohibition of amaranth during the colonial period, Tulyehualco preserved the tradition clandestinely. Today it is also produced in the State of Mexico, Puebla, Tlaxcala and Morelos, the main amaranth-producing areas.

How does it differ from a palanqueta?

Alegria uses popped amaranth as its main base, giving an airy, light and subtle texture; palanqueta uses peanuts, pumpkin seeds or other more solid nuts and seeds, giving a denser and more robust crunchy texture. Both share the technique of binding seeds with piloncillo caramel, but they belong to different traditions: alegria is pre-Hispanic Nahua of the Valley of Mexico; palanqueta has a colonial origin spread across central Mexico.