Bienmesabe (Venezuelan Coconut Cream Cake)
Layers of sponge cake soaked in sweet wine and rich coconut cream, topped with meringue and cinnamon.
Recipe in testing: I'm cooking it in my TM7™ and will update the steps and the photo with my own.
Bienmesabe means it tastes good to me, and the name says it all. The Venezuelan version is a cool, layered dessert: sponge cake or ladyfingers moistened with sweet wine, a thick cream of coconut milk and egg yolks, and a crown of white meringue dusted with cinnamon. It is a favorite for birthdays and holidays and it is made ahead, which makes it perfect for a party.
The Thermomix® TM7™ cooks the coconut cream at a steady temperature, so it thickens smoothly with no lumps and no scorching. Then, with the butterfly whisk, it whips a Swiss meringue, heating the egg whites and sugar together while it whips. All you do is layer and chill. The meringue goes on the day you serve it.
Made in the Thermomix® TM7™
Bienmesabe (Venezuelan Coconut Cream Cake)
Makes: One 20 cm (8 in) square dish
- Prep40 min
- Cook30 min
- Total1 h 10 min
- Serves9
Ingredients
For the coconut cream
To assemble
For the meringue
Instructions
- Place the coconut milk, sugar, egg yolks, cornstarch and salt in the mixing bowl and cook 10 min/90°C (195°F)/speed 4, until thick like pudding. If it is still thin, cook 2 min/90°C (195°F)/speed 4 more.
- Add the vanilla and shredded coconut and mix 10 sec/reverse/speed 3. Transfer the cream to a bowl, press plastic wrap onto the surface and let it cool 30 minutes. Wash the mixing bowl and dry it very well.
- Quickly dip half of the ladyfingers in the sweet wine and arrange them in one layer in a 20 cm (8 in) square glass dish or a 2 L (2 qt) dish.
- Spread half of the coconut cream over them and dot with the guava jelly, if using. Add a second layer of ladyfingers dipped in wine and spread the rest of the cream on top. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, or overnight.
- Before serving, insert the butterfly whisk, place the egg whites and sugar in the clean mixing bowl and whip 8 min/70°C (160°F)/speed 3.5. When the time is up, leave the heat off and whip 8 min/speed 3.5, until the meringue is thick, glossy and holds peaks.
- Spoon the meringue into a piping bag and pipe kisses over the cream, or spread it and make swirls with the back of a spoon. Dust with cinnamon and serve cold.
Tips
- The wine is not cooked, so for children or an alcohol-free version, dip the ladyfingers in 180 g (3/4 cup) of coconut milk mixed with 15 g (1 tbsp) sugar and 1/2 tsp vanilla.
- Make the layers a day ahead and add the meringue the day you serve. Bienmesabe keeps 3 days in the fridge.
- The meringue reaches 70°C (160°F) while it whips, so the egg whites are heat treated and safe to eat.
- Have a kitchen torch? Brown the tips of the meringue kisses lightly just before serving.
