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Conservas de coco
Spiced coconut bars
Conservas de coco: chewy bars of grated coconut cooked in spiced panela
Along the roads of Zulia and down the Caribbean coast, sellers wrap conservas de coco in squares of paper: dense, chewy bars of grated coconut cooked in dark panela syrup with cinnamon and clove. Children buy them with their change after school. The mistake most people make is taking the pan off too early; the mixture never sets and stays sticky. Chef's tip: keep stirring until the mass pulls away in one lump and a spoon dragged across the base leaves a clean line.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 10
Ingredients
- 10 ½ oz panelagrated
- ¾ cup water
- 3 cloves
- 14 oz fresh grated coconutor 250 g unsweetened desiccated soaked in 150 ml hot water
- 1 tsp lime zest
- 1 tsp vegetable oilfor the board
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Method
0/3 doneStep 1: Simmer 10 ½ oz panela, ¾ cup water, 1 cinnamon stick and 3 cloves in a heavy pan over a medium heat for 5 minutes, until the panela has dissolved into a syrup. Fish out the whole spices.
6 minStep 2: Stir in 14 oz fresh grated coconut and 1 tsp lime zest and cook, stirring constantly, for 25–30 minutes, until very thick, glossy and dark, and the mass comes away from the pan.
28 minStep 3: Oil a board or tray with 1 tsp vegetable oil, tip out the mixture and press it 1.5 cm thick with an oiled spatula. While still warm, cut into 20 bars. Leave to set for 1 hour.
10 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 220 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 28 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does conservas de coco take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 35 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 vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- 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 cinnamon stick?
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon per stick.
- What can I use instead of cloves?
- Ground cloves, ¼ tsp for every 3 whole cloves.
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