Cocadas

The story

Cocadas is a Colombian dessert with a clear sense of place. Cocadas are found across Colombia’s Caribbean and Pacific coasts and throughout Latin America in many forms. Colombian versions commonly use fresh coconut with sugar or panela and sometimes milk. The recipe below keeps the defining ingredients and technique intact while giving practical metric quantities and enough detail for a home cook to judge texture, seasoning and doneness rather than simply follow a timer.

Ingredients

• 400 g fresh grated coconut
• 220 g panela or dark brown sugar
• 180 ml whole milk
• 80 ml water
• 1 piece cinnamon stick
• 1 tsp lime zest
• 1 pinch fine salt

Method

1. Put panela, milk, water, cinnamon and salt

   Put panela, milk, water, cinnamon and salt in a wide heavy saucepan. Heat gently until the sugar dissolves.

   Look for: the sugar dissolves Tip: A wide pan helps water evaporate evenly. Judge the mixture by the clear trail left by the spoon, not only by time. Avoid: Stopping too early leaves wet sweets that never set; cooking too far makes them hard; desiccated coconut can produce a dry texture without added moisture.

2. Add grated coconut and cook over medium-low

   Add grated coconut and cook over medium-low heat, stirring often at first and almost constantly as the mixture thickens.

3. After about 15 minutes, remove the cinnamon

   After about 15 minutes, remove the cinnamon. Continue cooking until the coconut is glossy, sticky and beginning to catch pale caramel colour at the bottom.

   Look for: the coconut is glossy, sticky and beginning to catch pale caramel colour at the bottom

4. Stir in lime zest

   Stir in lime zest. Drag a wooden spoon through the pan: when it leaves a clear path for a second or two and the mixture clumps, it is ready.

5. Spoon heaped tablespoons onto baking paper and

   Spoon heaped tablespoons onto baking paper and press each into a rough round cluster. Work quickly because cocadas firm as they cool.

6. Cool completely before lifting from the paper

   Cool completely before lifting from the paper. Store airtight once dry on the surface but still chewy within.

   Look for: Clusters hold shape on the paper within a minute but remain pliable when bitten after cooling.

Nutrition

per serving

Estimated from the listed ingredients and default serving size. Actual values vary with brands, trimming, absorption and cooking losses.