Quindim
A dense, glossy baked custard of egg yolks, sugar, and ground coconut, baked in a water bath in small buttered-and-sugared molds until it releases with a shining caramelized top. Descended from the Portuguese convent dessert Brisa do Lis, made with ground almonds by nuns who had surplus egg yolks left over from using egg whites to starch their habits, and reinvented in 17th-century Bahia when enslaved African cooks substituted the locally abundant coconut for the unavailable almonds.
DessertVegetarian
⚠ Contains: Egg, Dairy. Always check your own ingredients — this isn't a guarantee for severe allergies.
Ingredients
- 12 egg yolks
- 250g (1 1/4 cups) sugar
- 100g (1 1/4 cups) finely grated fresh or unsweetened desiccated coconut
- 2 tbsp butter, melted, for the batter
- Extra butter and sugar, for greasing the molds
Steps
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Grease small ramekins or a ring mold generously with butter, then coat with sugar.
- Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together until well combined, avoiding excess air or foam.
- Stir in the grated coconut and melted butter.
- Strain the mixture through a fine sieve into the prepared molds.
- Place the molds in a large baking pan, and add hot water halfway up the sides.
- Bake 35-45 minutes until set and the top is golden and glossy, with a slight wobble in the center.
- Cool completely, then run a knife around the edge and unmold with the glossy caramelized side up.