We all love Bebinca, this multi-layered pudding has its way of getting around every Goan. Eating it is heavenly, to be able to taste each and every single layer on it, that melts in your mouth as soon as you put it in. You see it on the table of your house or in a restaurant or at a confectionery, it does not matter you have to buy it or eat otherwise your mouth will never stop watering and it will haunt you for the rest of the day!
But hold on a minute what about the whole technicality that goes into making this fine dessert? Eating it is simple and easy, but mind you to make a perfect bebinca it takes a lot of time, effort and finesse.
What do you think are the ingredients in a bebinca? First, we have the flour, then comes coconut milk, sugar, clarified butter or ghee, ground almonds, cardamom powder, cinnamon powder, nutmeg powder and finally egg yolks but not 100 of them about 10 to 12 will do just fine.
To start the preparations the first step is always crucial you initiate properly you will finish perfectly. Starting by whisking half the sugar and coconut milk. What you need to attack next is the rest of the sugar that is left, whisk it with the egg yolks. Thick and creamy is the texture you must attain, moving on, add the rest of the ingredients except the ghee and fold it all into a mixture.
Time to get the oven ready! Crank up the oven and brush the clarified butter on the baking tin. Pour the batter till it is about 1 cm thick layer. Gently place it in the oven in the bottom compartments and cross your fingers you don’t burn it.
After this layer has cooked evenly and the top has caramelised to excellence, brush it with clarified butter and start the process again. This continues till all the batter is finished. And yes it takes a lot of patience.
The traditional bebinca had 16 layers to it, but you can make as many as you wish. The most important thing to remember is that you must let each layer cook evenly before putting the next. This will most certainly ensure that each layer is distinctive and make your Bebinca perfect!
This roughly takes about an hour or more to make. So let’s face it there is a lot to do. Everything has to be spot on. And therefore do not underestimate the Bebinca and its maker but respect it!
