COVID-19

The year 2020 took everybody by surprise- a pandemic called COVID-19, a dangerous virus that took many lives between 2020 and 2021. This led all the countries of the world to close to counteract its spread, since it was a virus thar spread quickly. At first it was lethal and unknown, which generated uncontrolled panic and forced thousands of scientists to search for an immediate cure. While all this was happening, families had to wait inside their homes for a quick solution, which many thought would arrive in a matter of days, but that wasn´t the case… There were months of confinement, hopelessness and a lot of fear.

But, what could be done to make this wait a little less tedious and boring?

Most people turned to their hidden talents: cooking, painting, online teaching…since they had a very busy schedule, they couldn´t spend time with their family, and this time of confinement gave them the opportunity to do everything that, due to work, academic and professional commitments, was not normally possible.

In my family's case, we were no exception. My husband came up with the idea of preparing different dishes, searching for easy recipes online. He delighted us with a new dish every day. I greatly appreciated his efforts to keep us entertained, so I also started looking for something he would enjoy. He loves desserts, and I found an easy recipe for me, since I don't have much talent for baking. That's how I discovered the Napoleon dessert, whose ingredients were simple and which I usually already had at home.

So, let's get to work!

I started by reviewing the recipe several times before making it, so I could keep control of the quantities and preparation time.

Then, I listed the ingredients:

• Ducales cookies
• Heavy cream
• Milk 2%
• Condensed milk
• Cornstarch (And my special touch: cherries and Oreos)

My husband loves cherries, and my kids love Oreos, so I wanted to add a personal touch that would make it special for everyone.

Preparation:

1. In a blender, combine the whole milk and condensed milk, and while everything is blending, add three tablespoons of cornstarch.
2. Next, in a pot over medium heat, cook the mixture until it reaches a thick consistency. When it reaches this point, it's ready. Let it rest for about five minutes.
3. In a square baking dish (or any mold you prefer), start by placing a base of the mixture, then a layer of cookies, as if making lasagna. Alternate layers of cream and cookies until the mixture is finished.
4. Finally, crush three Oreo cookies and sprinkle them over the dessert, garnishing them with cherries to taste.

This recipe became important to me because we enjoy it so much every time, I make it. My children and husband eagerly wait for it to be ready, and sometimes it doesn't even last a day!

Something that fills me with joy is that, although I'm not a great cook, I embraced this recipe so much that I even taught it to my mother, who is an excellent cook. She learned it from me and now prepares it to sell among her social circles.

I'm so happy to be able to share my experience with Napoleon Dessert, a recipe that, beyond its flavor, holds within it a little piece of love, family, and hope.