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| Brazilian Quindim |
It's time to say goodbye to your diet! It's quindim time!
Quindins are heavenly deserts! Brazilians know what I'm talking about. Nobody can resist a moist and soft quindim and I am sorry to say that if you try this recipe you will be addicted forever.
Quindim is a popular desert in Brazil, especially in the state of Bahia. It's perfect after a Moqueca de Peixe but also perfect as a X-mas desert.
I have tried many recipes, too many actually, until I finally found the best one!
One of the the key factors in this recipe is oven time. If the quindim stays in the oven for too long it gets dry and hard, and if it does not stay long enough it does not hold its shape. And how do you know if a quindim is ready to leave the oven? I will explain it below, no worries. This is actually an easy recipe.
With this recipe you will make quindins that have a thick soft layer on top. Those are the best!
What You Need:
- 2 cups sugar
- pinch of salt (about 1/8 teaspoon)
- 1 cup coconut flakes (you buy them in bags)
- 2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup coconut milk
- 24 egg yolks
- Butter and sugar to coat a muffin pan
Yields 12 to 16 quindins made in muffin pans however the size of the egg yolks will make a difference in the amount of batter you will have.
FYI: Don't discard the egg whites. Place them in a ziploc bag and freeze them to use later for another desert or a fritada or omelet without yolks. Don't forget to write down the amount of egg whites and the date.
What To Do:
Gather your ingredients.
Gather your ingredients.
I just made half of the recipe that's why there are only 12 yolks.
Generously coat the molds of one 12 whole regular muffin pan with butter.
Generously coat the molds of one 12 whole regular muffin pan with butter.
Sprinkle with sugar.
Turn the muffin pan upside down and shake it to discard excess sugar. Do not hit the muffin pan.
Place it in the freezer while you prepare the batter.
Pre-heat oven to 350 F.
Put water to boil to use later for the water bath.
Beat the egg yolks until fluffy. About 1 1/2 minutes. Some people believe that if you pass the egg yolks through a sieve you eliminate the undesirable egg scent, but this is actually a myth and it does not matter because you are going to bake the eggs.
Add the sugar, melted butter, coconut milk, coconut flakes and salt.
Beat on low speed or use a whisk until all ingredients are well mixed. This will take about 30 seconds or less.
Now it's time to fill the molds.
Stir the batter right before you fill each hole to make sure the coconut flakes are evenly distributed.
Using a ladle makes this step easier.
Wipe the spills or they will burn and your oven will smoke and smell.
Put the boiling water in a baking pan large enough to fit the muffin pan.
This is the water bath :)
Place the tray in the middle of the oven.
Now this is VERY IMPORTANT so pay attention:) It's the only annoying part of this recipe. The cooking time will depend on the amount of batter in each muffin hole. You have to start checking the quindins after 20 minutes.
Poke the quindim in the middle with the tip of a knife. If it's still 'liquid', like running liquid, it's not ready. If it's soft then it's ready. It does not need to be hard.
The top of the quindins will turn golden.
Let the quindins cool for about 15 minutes.
You must take the quindins out of the mold while they are still warm or they will get stuck in it.
Loosen the sides of the quidins with the tip of a knife or silicone spatula.
You must feel that the quindim is loose inside the mold. You can actually make them spin in the holes.
Don't worry if it looks like you are smashing them, like in the picture. When you turn them over they will look just fine.
Place a cooking sheet over the whole muffin pan.
Turn the whole thing over quickly but carefully.
and voilà ! ... now you have all your quindins on the cooking sheet.
I made half the recipe and got 9 quindins because I used 'gigantor' eggs. Usually half the recipe will yield 6 to 7 quindins.
Transfer each quindim carefully ...
... to a serving dish ...
... or individual plates.
Are you wondering which mold I used to make the quindins in the first picture at the very top of this post? I used ramekins and they were a pain in the neck to remove them. I do not recommend it. The cooking time was also different.
As I mention before using ramekins makes it hard to remove the quindins from them. I believe it's because of the shape of ramekins with walls at 90 degrees to the bottom. I will keep trying other molds and will update this post if I find anything better.
In Brazil we have those tiny individual aluminum molds and we use them to make quindins and other foods. They are the 'formas de empadinha'. Actually I found 2 different sizes of 'quindim molds' in a specialty store in Rio de Janeiro, but even my Brazilian friends do not have them. They use the 'formas de empadinha'.
Now this is important, if you are going to use 'formas de empadinha' or 'quindim molds to make quindins then you need to adjust oven time to make sure you will not overcook them.
Enjoy!
