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Arepa dominicana
Sweet cornmeal coconut cake
Arepa dominicana: sweet cornmeal and coconut cake from the Dominican Republic
Not the stuffed corn patty of Venezuela: in the Dominican Republic arepa means a dense, sweet cornmeal cake that grandmothers once baked in a covered pot with hot coals on the lid. The cornmeal is first cooked with coconut milk, milk, butter, sugar and cinnamon into a thick porridge, then baked until it sets with a dark, caramelised crust and a soft, pudding-like centre. It is eaten at merienda with coffee or a glass of cold milk. The common mistake is not cooking the cornmeal long enough on the hob, which leaves the cake gritty. Chef's tip: let the arepa cool completely before slicing; warm, it is too soft to cut cleanly.
- Total time
- 75 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 10
Ingredients
- 2 ⅛ oz butterplus extra for the tin
- 1 ¾ cups coconut milk
- 2 cups whole milk
- 7 oz sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 10 ½ oz fine yellow cornmeal
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 ⅛ oz raisins
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan). Butter a 23 cm round tin well with a little of ⅜ oz butter and line the base with baking paper.
Step 2: Put 1 ¾ cups coconut milk, 2 cups whole milk, 7 oz sugar, ½ tsp salt, 1 cinnamon stick and the rest of 1 ⅔ oz butter in a large pan and bring to a simmer, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
5 minStep 3: Remove the cinnamon. Whisking all the time, rain in 10 ½ oz fine yellow cornmeal, then switch to a wooden spoon and cook over a low heat for 8–10 minutes, until very thick and pulling away from the sides.
10 minStep 4: Stir in 1 tsp vanilla extract and 2 ⅛ oz raisins and scrape the mixture into the tin. Smooth the top.
Step 5: Bake for 45–50 minutes, until the top is a deep golden brown and a skewer in the centre comes out clean but moist.
48 minStep 6: Cool completely in the tin, at least 1.5 hours, before turning out and cutting into wedges. Keeps 3 days, covered.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 360 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 52 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does arepa dominicana take?
- About 75 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 60 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 10 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
- What can I use instead of coconut milk?
- Single cream, same amount (not dairy free).
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