Angolan Coconut Dessert Cocada Angolana Food

ANGOLAN COCONUT DESSERT (COCADA ANGOLANA)

Steps:

• In a large pot over medium heat, cook water sugar, and cloves. Stir until dissolved. Heat until mixture reaches soft-ball stage on a candy thermometer (about 240F).
• Using a spoon carefully discard cloves.
• Add coconut and milk. The mixture will clump. Continue to stir until smooth. Simmer for a few minutes.
• Spoon into serving dishes and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
• Sprinkle with cinnamon. Serve chilled.

COCADA (COCONUT CUSTARD)

Steps:

• In uncovered 2-quart saucepan simmer sugar, water and cinnamon for 10 minutes. Strain; discard cinnamon pieces. Add coconut; cook, uncovered, about 5 minutes or until syrup is nearly absorbed, stirring frequently.
• Stir in 2 1/2 cups of the milk; cook until mixture is hot. In bowl beat eggs with remaining 1/2 cup milk. Stir about 1 cup of the hot mixture into egg mixture; return to saucepan. Cook and stir until mixture thickens slightly but does not boil. Stir in vanilla.
• Pour into a 1-1/2 quart bowl or individual serving dishes; chill.
• Top with whipped cream and garnish with almonds, if desired.

COCADA (COCONUT CANDY)

Steps:

• In a saucepan combine brown sugar and water.
• Simmer gently on low heat until mixture forms a thick syrup. Have a cup of cold water ready. Drop a little of the boiling syrup into it. When the syrup can be gathered up in the fingers as a soft ball, remove the saucepan from the heat.
• Stir in coconut and lime juice immediately.
• Turn out on a lightly buttered platter and spread to cool.

COCADA (BRAZILIAN COCONUT SWEET)

Steps:

• Combine condensed milk, sugar, coconut, and vanilla extract in a large saucepan. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and becomes a little darker. If you find that the cocada is cooking too quickly, reduce heat to low and continue stirring.
• Once the mixture has thickened enough and feels heavy on the spoon, remove from heat and place spoonfuls on a piece of parchment paper.
• Let cool for about 30 minutes (cocada will harden a bit) and transfer to a sealed container.

COCADA AMARELA --YELLOW COCONUT PUDDING

Steps:

• Open the coconut, cut it in easy to handle pieces and grate about half of it (about 2 cups worth).
• Combine the sugar, water and cloves in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Once it boils, stop stirring and allow to continue boiling until it reaches the temperature of 230 degrees on a candy thermometer. This may take quite a while.
• Reduce the heat to low. With a slotted spoon remove and discard the cloves. Add the grated coconut, a little bit at a time, and mix well. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes. The coconut should become translucent. Remove from heat.
• Beat the egg yolks until they thicken slightly, for about 1 minute. Stir in about 1/2 cup of the syrup and mix. Pour this mixture into the saucepan with the remaining syrup and stir together thoroughly.
• Cook over moderate heat for about 10 minutes, stiring frequently, until the pudding thickens enough to pull away from the bottom and sides of the pan. Spoon the pudding into individual serving plates. Let cool, sprinkle with ground cinnamon and serve.