Venezuelan Bienmesabe

About This Recipe

Bienmesabe literally means 'tastes good to me' in Spanish, and this Venezuelan coconut dessert lives up to its name entirely. A thick, custardy cream made from fresh coconut, egg yolks, and sugar, it's served chilled as a dessert on its own or as a topping for ice cream. Venezuela's version is particularly rich and deeply coconut-forward, beloved at celebrations and family gatherings.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 2 canscoconut milk (400ml each)
• 1 cupsugar
• 4 largeegg yolks
• 1 tspvanilla extract
• 1/2 cupshredded coconut, toasted (to serve)

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the coconut base

   Combine coconut milk and sugar in a heavy saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until sugar dissolves and mixture just comes to a simmer.

2. 2

   Temper the eggs

   Whisk egg yolks in a bowl. Slowly pour about 1/2 cup of the hot coconut mixture into the yolks while whisking constantly. Then pour the tempered yolks back into the pot.

3. 3

   Cook to thicken

   Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, for 10–15 minutes until the mixture thickens to a custardy consistency that coats the spoon.

4. 4

   Flavor and chill

   Remove from heat. Add vanilla extract. Pour into serving glasses or a large dish. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

5. 5

   Serve

   Serve chilled, topped with toasted shredded coconut.

Variations

• •

  Serve over vanilla ice cream

• •

  Add a splash of rum for an adult version

• •

  Flavor with cinnamon and cloves for a holiday version

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 5 days covered.

Frequently Asked Questions