Quesbo Little Chefs · Around the world · Destination 23
Little parcels. Golden corn.
A place at the family table.
Fold golden cheese empanadas, spoon into a sweetcorn-topped casserole and finish with little caramel custards. Three recipes to make together, share with family and remember in your tasty passport.
¡Hola! Welcome to Chile, the next stop in Quesbo’s Cooking Adventures Around the World. Find a grown-up cooking companion, make room around the kitchen table and discover how one family recipe can become many favourite versions.
This menu follows our Chile chapter, with baked cheese empanadas, a straightforward beef-and-sweetcorn pastel de choclo and six small leche asada-inspired caramel custards. Make the custards ahead so they have time to cool and chill. Choose one recipe today, or spread the adventure across several cooking sessions.
Choose your first taste
A little taste of Chile
Chile stretches through many climates, from the Atacama Desert to forests, islands, fertile valleys and Patagonia. Seafood, maize, potatoes, beans, fruit, bread and meat appear in regional forms. This family menu explores baked cheese empanadas, a sweetcorn-topped casserole and individual caramel custards.
Our menu explores three kitchen skills: sealing a pastry half-moon, making a thick sweetcorn topping and gently mixing a milk-and-egg custard. These are approachable family adaptations. Chilean cheese empanadas are often fried, while our version is baked; the casserole keeps optional raisins and olives a family choice. Recipes and serving styles vary between households.
Quesbo’s imaginary passport adventure
Sofia did not own one recipe card for pastel de choclo. She owned five, written by different relatives, each with a small disagreement about raisins, olives or sugar on top. Nobody tried to erase the differences. They cooked one version and told stories about the others. Quesbo’s passport stamped FAMILY.
Which dish reminds someone in your family of a person, a place or a happy meal?
First taste 01 / 03
Mini Cheese Empanadas
Baked cheese half-moons to fold and share
A buttery homemade pastry wraps around mozzarella and cheddar, making ten little cheese turnovers. Chilean cheese empanadas are often fried; this baked family adaptation gives young cooks a chance to roll, fill and crimp their own half-moons.
Ingredients
Dough
- 300 g plain flour, plus a little for rolling
- ½ tsp salt
- 150 g cold butter, diced
- 100–120 ml cold water, added gradually
Filling and glaze
- 200 g low-moisture mozzarella, grated; use a firm block rather than wet mozzarella balls
- 100 g mature cheddar, grated
- 1 tsp dried oregano, optional
- 1 egg, beaten, for glazing
- A little water for sealing
Cook together
Little hands can- Rub butter into flour with clean fingertips and help bring the dough together.
- Count ten circles and help divide the prepared cheese into equal portions.
- Fold and crimp the half-moons with adult help.
- Supervise grating and cut the pastry circles and steam slits.
- Manage the oven, hot baking tray and cooling rack.
- Check both pastry doneness and the temperature of the melted cheese before serving.
Large mixing bowl and table knife, Rolling pin and approximately 12 cm round cutter or template, Large baking tray and oven-safe baking paper, Grater and small bowl, Pastry brush and fork, Cooling rack
Let’s cook
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Make and chill the dough
Wash hands and clean the work surface. Put the flour and salt in a large bowl, then rub in the cold butter with fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs. Stir in 100 ml cold water with a table knife, adding the remaining water a teaspoon at a time only if needed to bring the dough together. Press gently into a disc without kneading hard, cover and chill for 20 minutes. Do not taste raw flour or pastry.
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Prepare the cheese and tray
An adult heats the oven to 200°C conventional or 180°C fan and lines a large baking tray with baking paper suitable for that temperature. Grate the cheeses with adult supervision, keeping fingers away from the grater, and mix with the oregano if using. Divide the filling into ten portions of about 30 g. Beat the egg in a separate small bowl.
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Roll ten pastry circles
Lightly flour a clean work surface and roll the chilled dough to about 3 mm thick. An adult helps cut ten circles approximately 12 cm across, gathering and gently re-rolling offcuts as needed. Keep the circles cool while you work; if the pastry becomes sticky or very soft, return it to the fridge briefly. Any extra pastry can be chilled for another use rather than making the circles overly thick.
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Fill and fold the half-moons
Place a portion of cheese on one half of each circle, leaving a clear border of about 1.5 cm. Brush that border lightly with water. Fold the empty half over the filling, gently pressing out trapped air without pushing cheese into the seam. Keep the filling inside the pastry so the edges can meet cleanly.
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Seal, glaze and vent
Press the edges together firmly, then crimp with a fork to make a good seal. Put the empanadas on the lined tray with space between them. Brush the tops lightly with beaten egg. An adult cuts a tiny steam slit in the top of each one. Wash hands and clean the brush, bowl and work surface after handling raw egg and pastry.
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Bake, cool and share
An adult bakes for about 20–22 minutes, or until the pastry is golden, crisp underneath and fully cooked. Transfer to a cooling rack and rest for at least 10 minutes. The cheese can stay very hot after the outside feels cool, so an adult opens one and checks the filling before serving children. Enjoy warm, with everyone showing off their crimp patterns.
From the table: Empanada traditions connect many Latin American countries, with different doughs, fillings and cooking methods. This baked cheese version is a family adaptation rather than a claim that all Chilean cheese empanadas are baked.
↑ Back to the recipe menuMain meal 02 / 03
Pastel de Choclo
A savoury beef filling under a golden sweetcorn topping
Sweetcorn and basil form a thick topping for a warm beef-and-onion filling. Family versions of this Chilean dish differ: some include chicken, egg, olives or raisins. Our straightforward version keeps raisins, olives and a little sugar on top optional, leaving room for everyone’s preferences.
Ingredients
Beef filling
- 500 g lean beef mince
- 2 onions, chopped
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 50 g raisins, optional
- 50 g pitted black olives, sliced, optional
Corn topping
- 700 g sweetcorn kernels, fresh or frozen and thawed in the fridge, then well drained
- 150 ml milk
- 30 g butter
- Small handful of basil leaves
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp caster sugar for the top, optional
Cook together
Little hands can- Count and wash the basil leaves and measure spices away from the raw-meat area.
- Help measure milk and drain the cool thawed corn with supervision.
- Choose whether the family would like the optional raisins, olives or sugar.
- Handle raw beef, knives and the hot frying pan, keeping preparation areas clean.
- Operate the blender and stir the hot corn mixture.
- Assemble the hot layers, use the oven and check the centre before serving.
Large frying pan and cooking spoon, Blender or food processor, Saucepan, Approximately 2-litre ovenproof baking dish, Baking tray and oven gloves, Clean digital food thermometer
Let’s cook
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Cook the onion and beef
An adult chops the onions before handling the raw mince and heats the oil in a large frying pan. Cook the onion for about 8 minutes until softened. Add the beef, paprika and cumin, breaking the mince into small pieces. Cook thoroughly, stirring, for roughly another 8–10 minutes; allow longer if needed. Keep raw-meat utensils separate from ready-to-eat food and wash hands and equipment afterwards.
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Finish the savoury filling
Check the cooked beef mixture with a clean food thermometer: it should reach 75°C for 30 seconds. Stir in the optional raisins and sliced olives, then spoon the hot filling into a roughly 2-litre ovenproof baking dish. If the pan holds excess watery liquid, let it simmer away briefly first. An adult handles the hot dish and keeps it out of children’s reach.
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Blend the corn topping
An adult puts the drained sweetcorn, milk, butter, basil and salt into a blender or food processor. Pulse to a thick mixture with some texture remaining. Follow the appliance instructions and keep children’s hands away from its blades. There is no need to make the mixture perfectly smooth.
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Thicken the sweetcorn
Transfer the corn mixture to a saucepan. An adult cooks it over a medium-low heat for about 8–10 minutes, stirring frequently, until it is thick enough for a spoon to leave a clear trail. Follow any cooking directions on frozen-corn packaging and cook a little longer if necessary. An adult heats the oven to 200°C conventional or 180°C fan.
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Build the two layers
An adult gently spoons the hot corn mixture over the beef, spreading it to the edges without mixing the layers. Make a few shallow waves on top with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle with the optional teaspoon of sugar if your family likes a sweeter surface. Put the dish on a baking tray to catch any bubbling spills.
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Bake and let it settle
Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until the topping is golden in places and the filling is bubbling and piping hot in the centre. An adult checks the centre before serving, then lets the dish rest for 10 minutes on a heatproof surface. Spoon into six portions and let children’s servings cool further as needed. Try a spoonful with both layers together.
From the table: Pastel de choclo brings a sweet maize topping and a savoury filling together. Household choices about raisins, olives, meat and sweetness are part of the family conversation around this dish.
↑ Back to the recipe menuSweet finish 03 / 03
Leche Asada Caramel Custards
Six gently baked milk-and-egg custards with caramel
Leche asada means “roasted milk” and is known for a baked surface and homely texture. This family adaptation uses individual ramekins and a gentle water bath, giving a softer finish that may be less browned than other versions. An adult makes the caramel; young cooks can help measure and gently whisk the custard.
Ingredients
Caramel
- 100 g caster sugar
- 2 tbsp water
Custard
- 600 ml whole milk
- 5 large eggs
- 100 g caster sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Finely grated lemon zest, optional
Cook together
Little hands can- Count six ramekins before the hot cooking begins.
- Measure milk and sugar and help whisk the custard gently under supervision.
- Set out six dessert spoons and describe the cooled custard’s texture.
- Make and pour all caramel, keeping children well clear of the hot sugar.
- Handle the oven, hot water, roasting tin and ramekins.
- Check that the custards are cooked, then cool and refrigerate them promptly.
Six ovenproof ramekins, about 200 ml capacity each, Deep roasting tin that holds all six ramekins comfortably, Small heavy-based saucepan, Large measuring jug or bowl and whisk, Fine sieve and pouring jug, Oven gloves, cooling rack and clean food thermometer
Let’s cook
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Set up six ramekins
An adult heats the oven to 170°C conventional or 150°C fan. Arrange six ovenproof ramekins of about 200 ml capacity in a sturdy deep roasting tin, leaving space around each one. Keep the caramel-making area clear and keep children away from the hob, hot pan and hot ramekins.
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Make the caramel — adults only
An adult puts the caramel’s 100 g sugar and 2 tbsp water into a small heavy-based saucepan. Heat gently until the sugar dissolves, then let it bubble without stirring until amber. Remove from the heat and carefully divide between the six ramekins, tilting each with protected hands if necessary to coat the base. Molten sugar is extremely hot: do not touch or taste it. Let the caramel harden while making the custard.
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Whisk the custard gently
Measure the milk into a large jug or bowl. Add the eggs, the remaining 100 g sugar, vanilla and optional lemon zest. Whisk gently until combined without making lots of foam. Children can help under supervision, then wash their hands; nobody should taste the uncooked mixture. Strain through a sieve into a pouring jug for a more even custard.
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Fill and add the water bath
Divide the custard evenly among the caramel-lined ramekins, leaving a little space at the top. An adult places the tin on a pulled-out oven shelf and carefully pours hot water into the tin until it reaches halfway up the ramekins, keeping water out of the custards. Gently slide the shelf in. This avoids carrying a full tin of hot water across the kitchen.
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Bake until gently set
Bake for about 35–45 minutes, checking from 35 minutes. The edges should be set and the centre should wobble gently as one piece, not ripple like liquid. An adult can check a central custard with a clean thermometer for at least 75°C for 30 seconds. Continue baking if needed. The tops may colour lightly, but do not keep baking just to force a dark crust: this gentle water-bath version can stay pale golden.
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Cool, chill and serve
An adult carefully removes the ramekins from the water bath with suitable protection and places them on a heatproof cooling rack. Let them cool promptly, then cover and refrigerate within 1–2 hours of cooking. Chill for at least 2 hours until cold and set. Serve in the ramekins, spooning down to the caramel beneath. Keep any custards not being served refrigerated.
From the table: Leche asada is enjoyed in Chile and elsewhere in Latin America, with family recipes differing in sweetness and texture. Our small water-bath custards are a gentle family adaptation of the chapter’s dessert.
↑ Back to the recipe menuYour tasty passport · Destination 23
You’ve tasted Chile.
Make a family food memory.
Open your cooking notebook and make a new passport page. Write CHILE at the top, draw a dish you tried and add the date and your cooking companion’s name.
- Give it a taste score. Rate each dish you tried from 1 to 5. Everyone can have a different favourite.
- Choose your next step. Would you cook it again? Write “Yes”, “Maybe” or “Not yet”.
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Remember three discoveries.
- Chilean empanadas include baked pino-filled versions and fried cheese versions, among others. Our cheese half-moons are a baked family adaptation.
- Pastel de choclo uses a sweet maize topping over a savoury filling and has many household variations.
- Leche asada is a baked milk-and-egg custard. Our individual caramel version uses a gentle water bath, so its surface may be less browned.
- Earn your FAMILY stamp. Ask two people how they would change the same recipe. Draw or write their ideas beside your own, then record one thing you enjoyed making together. Different favourites can share the same family table.
Food detective: Ask two people how they would change the same recipe. Can both answers be good? Yes. Different people enjoy different flavours and textures, and family recipes can hold different memories. Compare the ideas with kindness, while still following safe cooking and allergen guidance.
A word for your journey: Hola (OH-lah) — hello. At the table: Buen provecho — Enjoy your meal.
Your next destination clue: The compass crosses the Andes to a country of milanesas, grilled cheese and a famous no-bake biscuit cake.
Food and discovery notes for grown-ups
Adapted from Quesbo’s Chile chapter, pages 177–184, with clearer preparation, supervision, timing and storage guidance. These are family home-kitchen versions; recipes and methods vary between households. The empanadas use homemade pastry and are baked rather than fried. Pastel de choclo has a cooked beef filling beneath a thick sweetcorn topping, with raisins and olives optional. The small caramel custards use the chapter’s gentle water-bath method, so the surface may be paler than a traditionally browned leche asada. Allow time for cooling and chilling; do not keep baking a set custard just to darken its top. Hot caramel is an adult-only task. Follow each recipe’s specific storage instructions. Recipes have not been kitchen-tested. Food images are AI-generated serving illustrations.
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