Ampao is the Philippine version of the rice crispies. It began in the early 1900s and became popular in the 1940s. It is just basically cooked rice that is dried out in the sun so that it becomes crispy. Along with this sweet, white treat, you can find a piece of peanut or two. The emphasis of the peanut is to bring out that natural ampao flavor, and helps make it a treat that everyone loves.

“Pao, pao, pao.”

That all too familiar shouts of vendors boarding buses whenever it passes through the City of Carcar. These vendors are actually selling a sweet delicacy that is a proud product of the city, the ampao.

The ampao is considered as the Cebuano version of the rice krispies of the United States. It is an inexpensive sweet snack that can be brought home by visitors as a pasalubong to the folks back home. The ampao was first produced in the 1900s in Carcar before its popularity increased in the 1940s. Carcar is located in the southeastern part of Cebu province and is about 40 kilometers south of Cebu City.

The ampao is a sweet puffed rice cake that originated in the municipality of Carcar, Cebu. It is an inexpensive snack of Cebuanos and a popular gift for tourists and visitors. Carcar, Cebu is known for a lot of things from having the most gifted artists in the nation, along with having the best delicacies ever to reach your taste buds. You may know it for its amazing chicarons (pork rines) but it is also known for its sweet, sweet ampao. Of course, I bet Rachael Ray would choke into guessing as to how this delicacy is made. It would take time to make sweet ampao and is very much unlikely compared to a 15-minute meal by Rachael Ray. Nonetheless, the ampao gives us a more direct taste and also a bit of nostalgic moments that will bring us back a few years ago when we first tasted this delicacy.

The ampao is a white, sweet and crunchy delicacy sprinkled with peanuts. It is rectangular or square shaped and has a thick width that would require you to open your mouth wider than usual so you can get a good taste of the delicious snack. The original ampao is white and wrapped in a clear plastic when sold. However, there is a smaller bite-size square ampao and comes in different colors ranging from pink, green and yellow. The smaller-size ampao has its own distinctive sweet taste compared to the original bigger ampao.

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Many locals eat ampao together with other native desserts and with cool refreshing beverages.I have only eaten ampao several times but once you take a bite, you will want to eat more of its sweet and sugary taste. The only disadvantage of eating of ampao is that it may become a habit-forming snack and the sweet and sugary coating of ampao may give you tooth decay in the end.

If you want to savor the sweet and crispy taste of the ampao, it is available in the major supermarkets in Cebu City and in some specialty delicacy shops or bakeshops. You can find ampao sold in bakeshops, in sari-sari stores, in the sidewalks, and in the factory outlets of the ampao manufacturers in Carcar. The ampao of Carcar is already available in a number of groceries, supermarkets and pasalubong centers in the city. Small neighborhood stores and sidewalk vendors may also sell this delicious treat. But, the best place to buy the treat is at the source itself where it is cheaper.

The delicacy is much cheaper in Carcar compared to the prices in Cebu City. P35/pack and 3 for P100. While in Carcar, you can also see the various tourist attractions there, so you can maximize your visit to the town How to make Ampao? In making the ampao lay out cooked rice in the sun to dry and make it crispy and crunchy in the process. Addition of some peanuts to the sun-dried, cooked. The emphasis of the peanut is to bring out that natural ampao flavor, and helps make it a treat that everyone loves. Cooled rice completes the crispy look of the ampao. Syrup made with sugar and kalamansi juice is poured into it and mixed thoroughly with the rice-peanut mixture, and then poured into a mold. The mold can take the shapes of squares or rectangles as big as your palm, or in bite-size shapes.

Ingredients: 2 cups cooked rice, dried under the sun for about 4 hours 2-3 cups cooking oil 1 cup granulated sugar 1/4 tsp salt 1 cup corn syrup (preferably dark brown) 1 tsp vinegar 1 tsp vanilla extract 1/4 cup butter

Equipment: candy thermometer

Instructions: You can add gel food color on rice before frying and divide it in each bowl per color. In a shallow frying pan, heat enough amount of cooking oil. Deep fry each of the sun-dried rice and cook until it becomes puffy. Transfer and drain from oil on a plate lined with paper towels. Set aside Ampao is an amazing little treat that you can add to other desserts for a more enjoyable meal. You can put them in your ice cream or on cake. You can make them into little square bars or mix into a batch of cookies. And for true Filipinos, what is halo halo without ampao? No matter how old you are or what dessert you are eating, sweet ampao is a great way to go.