A masterpiece of Goan-Portuguese cuisine, Bebinca is a rich, multi-layered cake made with coconut milk, egg yolks, sugar, and ghee. Traditionally baked one layer at a time, it requires patience and precision, resulting in a caramelised, melt-in-the-mouth texture.
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups coconut milk (preferably fresh)
1 cup sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour (maida)
6 large eggs
2 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
¼ tsp cardamom pdr
A pinch of salt
2 tbsp cashew nuts chopped or halved
2 tbsp raisins
1 tbsp sugar for caramelising
Method:
Preparing the coconut milk:
Break the coconut and grate it, add 1-½ cups of warm water and blend it in a mixer. Strain the milk from the mixture.
Mix the coconut milk and sugar in a saucepan. Heat this mixture gently over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves completely. Keep it aside to cool.
Preparing the batter:
Beat the eggs in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy.
Add the cooled coconut milk mixture to the eggs and mix well.
Sift the flour into the egg-coconut milk mixture and stir until smooth.
Add cardamom powder, a pinch of salt, and ghee to the batter, and mix everything thoroughly.
Add chopped cashews and raisins to the batter for added texture and flavour.
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and grease a baking dish or a cake pan with ghee.
Preparing the layers:
Pour a small amount of batter (about ¼ cup) into the prepared baking pan and spread it out evenly. Bake it in the oven for about 10–15 minutes, or until the top is golden and set.
Once the first layer is set, take the pan out of the oven and pour another small layer of batter over the first one. Return the pan to the oven and bake for another 10–15 minutes, until the second layer is set and golden. Repeat this process until all the batter is used up. You should end up with about 7-8 layers.
After all the layers are baked, you can optionally sprinkle a tablespoon of sugar over the top layer of bebinca and place the pan under the broiler for a minute or two until the sugar caramelises and turns golden brown.
Allow the bebinca to cool completely in the pan. As it cools, it will firm up and become easier to cut into slices.
Once cooled, cut it into rectangular or square pieces.
Bebinca is usually served at room temperature and can be stored in an airtight container for a few days.
Tips:-
The key to perfect Bebinca is patience, especially when layering the batter. Ensure that each layer is properly set before adding the next.
The texture should be rich and moist with a slight caramelisation on the top, giving it a golden-brown finish.
No comments:
Post a Comment