Bread, salvadoran sweet cheese (quesadilla salvadorena)

Quesadilla salvadorena is a dense, semi-sweet cheese bread from El Salvador, distinct from the Mexican quesadilla since it is baked rather than folded and grilled. The batter combines rice flour, sometimes blended with wheat flour, a salty aged cheese such as queso duro or cotija, butter, eggs and sugar, and it is often finished with a scattering of sesame seeds on top before baking. The result is a pound-cake-like crumb, tender and slightly gritty from the rice flour, with a salty-sweet balance that comes from the cheese cutting through the sugar. It is traditionally cut into squares or wedges and served alongside coffee or hot chocolate for breakfast or as a mid-afternoon merienda.

Quesadilla salvadorena keeps at room temperature wrapped in foil or plastic for a couple of days and can be frozen in individual squares for longer storage, then thawed or briefly warmed before serving. A typical serving is about 55 grams, and per 100 grams it runs 374 calories, with 24.9 grams of sugar and 7.12 grams of protein, or 14% DV, so it reads more as a sweet baked treat than an everyday bread. It also contributes 16% DV of vitamin A per 100 grams from the butter, eggs and cheese in the batter.