Prep Time: 20 mins
Total Time: 1 hrs 20 mins
Servings: 6-8
About This Recipe
“This was posted within a discussion by B&B from Authentic Mexican, Rick Bayless, Morrow 1987. Since I would like to try it, I am posting it to the database.”
Ingredients
1mediumfresh coconut, with lots of liquid inside( 1 3/4 pound)
1cupsugar
1 1/2 tablespoonsgood-quality sweet sherry or 1 1/2 tablespoonsdry sherry
6largeegg yolks
3tablespoons milk or 3tablespoonswhipping cream
1/2 cupsliced almonds
1 1/2 tablespoonsunsalted butter, cut into small bits
Directions
Hull and peel the coconut, reserving and straining the liquid.
Grate the meat (it should be medium-fine).
Measure the coconut liquid and add enough tap water to bring the total quantity to 1 cup.
Place the grated coconut in a medium-size, heavy saucepan, stir in the liquid and sugar and set over medium heat.
Cook, stirring frequently, until the coconut becomes transparent (it will look almost candied) and the liquid has reduced to a glaze, 20 to 30 minutes longer, to evaporate its liquid, then remove from the fire.
Beat the yolks with the milk or cream, stir in several tablespoons of the hot coconut, then carefully stir the warm yolk mixture into the coconut remaining in the pan.
Return to medium-low heat and stir constantly until lightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
Scrape the cocada into an ovenproof serving dish.
Spread the almonds onto baking sheet and toast in a 325 oven until lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
Shortly before serving, heat the broiler.
Dot the cocada with butter, run under the heat and let brown for a minute or so.
Watch carefully: The sugar in the cocada will caramelized very quickly.
Strew with the toasted almond slices and the dessert is ready to serve.
Rick’s Notes: After the egg-yolk mixture goes into the hot coconut, make sure the heat under your pan isn’t too high, or the yolks can curdle.
In no case should the coconut mixture come near a boil.
Reviews
“Very delicioso. But since I’ve never made or seen this before, I wasn’t sure what the outcome would be. There are a lot of desserts (postre) cocada on the internet, but none like this that I could find. It tastes like a custardy, pudding-ey, macaroon dessert. Very different, very luscious and rich. I chilled it (it’s better cold) and served it with cream poured over. Edited: It significantly firmed-up overnight in the fridge. It’s also less sweet. The recipe doesn’t say, but I think the cocada should be refrigerated for at least 24-hrs before toasting and serving. I love this stuff! BTW – I used triple sec instead of sherry. Thanks Mysterygirl.”