I met a pretty young woman during my recent field trip in Caribbean. She introduced me to a rustic coconut confection called Cucurucho, in which shredded coconut is cooked with honey, raw sugar, papaya and guava and then wrapped in a cone shaped palm leaf. It is a fairly dense cake that can keep for more than a few days under hot and humid conditions. Local people cook them at home and sell them at the roadside. I saw them near bus stations and markets along the way to a cacao farm. They also tie them two together, which makes them easy to carry and to hang on a hook inside a bus.

Having fried green banana (plantain) as dessert all the time got tiring, so once I tried Cucurucho I liked it immediately. It also reminded me of Chimaki – sweet sticky rice stuffed with sweet red beans then wrapped in dried bamboo leaves – a famous treat served around Children’s Day (May 5) in Japan. Using natural packaging not only looks nice, but is environmentally (and economically) smart. It makes me appreciate once again our ancestors’ wisdom. Plastic is ugly and harmful.

Last weekend, I tried to remember the taste and flavor of Cucurucho to make them, but unfortunately I did not have papaya or guava. Instead, I put some dried mango into the batter. Frankly it came out more like a Portuguese custard (cup) cake, but it really tasted wonderful… and looked pretty good. So I decided to call it “Aymet” for the woman who introduced me to Cucurucho.

Aymet—Pastéis de coco—Coconut Custard

Recipe by Ko Akasaka

Makes 12

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (optional)
1 cup whole milk or coconut milk
¼ cup honey
2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
3 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ cup dried mango, chopped fine

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Set the oven rack to the middle position. Line a 12-cup muffin mold with cupcake liners.
2. In a small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in ¼ cup milk.
3. In a food processor, shred the coconut flakes for 10-15 seconds or pulse few times
4. In a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar with a whisk. Using with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, add the cornstarch mixture, remaining milk, the coconut, melted butter, and vanilla extract, stirring well after each addition.
5. Ladle the batter into the paper cups, filling each ¼ inch from top. Make sure to stir the batter frequently as you are filling the cups to keep the coconut well distributed.
6. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the coconut is nicely toasted. Cool completely in the muffin mold about 30-40 minutes