With the passage of time, many of the Portuguese delights are slowly disappearing from the Goan cuisine. The nuns at the convent of Santa Monica in old Goa were innovative and creative in blending Portuguese and Goan recipes with the availability of local ingredients. One of them is dedos de dama literally meaning lady's fingers. Served as a dessert for festive and special occasions. It was one of the sweet items on the menu at our 25th silver wedding anniversary. Basically, a mixture of cooked ground cashewnuts and coconut is shaped into small cylindrical fingers and coated with caramel. Pierced onto decorated skewers that are stuck into a fruit like watermelon or pineapple. Guests help themselves to dedos de dama and enjoy like lollipops.
Caramelization is a process of heating sugar slowly to around 340 F (170 C). As the sugar melts and changes colour, its molecules break down and create compounds that contribute to the distinctive colour and flavour. To caramelize sugar, use a heavy bottomed pan for even cooking. Add water first then, sugar and cook on low heat. Do not stir, but swirl the pan. To prevent the caramel from crystallizing, mix a mild acid with either a few drops of lemon juice, vinegar or a pinch of cream of tartar. Alternatively, use an invert sugar like corn syrup or honey that contain glucose and fructose that interferes with sucrose molecules from hardening.
Caramelization is a process of heating sugar slowly to around 340 F (170 C). As the sugar melts and changes colour, its molecules break down and create compounds that contribute to the distinctive colour and flavour. To caramelize sugar, use a heavy bottomed pan for even cooking. Add water first then, sugar and cook on low heat. Do not stir, but swirl the pan. To prevent the caramel from crystallizing, mix a mild acid with either a few drops of lemon juice, vinegar or a pinch of cream of tartar. Alternatively, use an invert sugar like corn syrup or honey that contain glucose and fructose that interferes with sucrose molecules from hardening.
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Dedos de Dama
(Yields 18)
Ingredients:
1 cup ground cashewnuts or almonds
1 cup granulated white sugar
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup fresh coconut (ground to a fine paste)
1 egg white
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
18 wooden skewers (decorated with white paper tissue leaving some inches bare on top)
Method:
In a saucepan, melt sugar with water to make a syrup of one string consistency. Mix in ground almonds or cashewnuts, coconut paste, egg white and stir continuously till the mixture reaches a soft ball stage (235 F to 240 F or 118 C to 120 C) leaving the sides of the pan, around 20 minutes. Incorporate the vanilla extract and remove from heat.
(Soft ball stage - A small amount of the mixture dropped into cold water should form into a soft, flexible ball.)
Pour mixture onto a board and using gloves while still warm, knead to form a dough. (If you don’t have gloves, insert hands in big ziploc bags to protect your hands and handle the hot mixture.)
Shape into small cylindrical fingers and set aside to dry for a few hours or overnight.
Pierce a wooden skewer into each fingers. Set them standing on a deep and wide sturdy block of styrofoam wrapped with aluminum foil. Ensure that the skewer is not too long as with the weight of the finger, they tend to topple over. Alternatively, a cake pop stand is ideal. Instead of skewers, colourful straws can be used.
Note:
Caramel
(Yields 2 cups)
Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup + 1/2 cup water
Method:
In a thick bottom saucepan, first add 1/2 cup water and then, sugar. On low heat, let sugar melt and start to caramelize. Do not stir the pan, but just swirl it around. Simultaneously, heat the additional 1/2 cup water on an adjacent stove in a different pan or in a microwave.
Once the sugar turns to golden brown, take saucepan off the heat and carefully pour the balance 1/2 cup of hot water along one side of the pan. Now place the saucepan back on the stove and on medium heat, stir until the caramel has dissolved. Pour into a glass pyrex measuring cup. The caramel will thicken as it cools.
Note:
Coating:
Dip each marzipan fingers into the caramel to coat completely. The depth of the cup is perfect to fully coat them at once. Shake off excess caramel and place skewer in an upright position onto the prepared styrofoam base. Set aside to dry.
Serve dedos de dama in a vase or pierced onto a decorative fruit of choice.
(Yields 18)
Ingredients:
1 cup ground cashewnuts or almonds
1 cup granulated white sugar
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup fresh coconut (ground to a fine paste)
1 egg white
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
18 wooden skewers (decorated with white paper tissue leaving some inches bare on top)
Method:
In a saucepan, melt sugar with water to make a syrup of one string consistency. Mix in ground almonds or cashewnuts, coconut paste, egg white and stir continuously till the mixture reaches a soft ball stage (235 F to 240 F or 118 C to 120 C) leaving the sides of the pan, around 20 minutes. Incorporate the vanilla extract and remove from heat.
(Soft ball stage - A small amount of the mixture dropped into cold water should form into a soft, flexible ball.)
Pour mixture onto a board and using gloves while still warm, knead to form a dough. (If you don’t have gloves, insert hands in big ziploc bags to protect your hands and handle the hot mixture.)
Shape into small cylindrical fingers and set aside to dry for a few hours or overnight.
Pierce a wooden skewer into each fingers. Set them standing on a deep and wide sturdy block of styrofoam wrapped with aluminum foil. Ensure that the skewer is not too long as with the weight of the finger, they tend to topple over. Alternatively, a cake pop stand is ideal. Instead of skewers, colourful straws can be used.
Note:
- Use tender coconut if available. Grind dry or with a dash of coconut water or rose water. You don't want an overpowering rose flavour.
Caramel
(Yields 2 cups)
Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup + 1/2 cup water
Method:
In a thick bottom saucepan, first add 1/2 cup water and then, sugar. On low heat, let sugar melt and start to caramelize. Do not stir the pan, but just swirl it around. Simultaneously, heat the additional 1/2 cup water on an adjacent stove in a different pan or in a microwave.
Once the sugar turns to golden brown, take saucepan off the heat and carefully pour the balance 1/2 cup of hot water along one side of the pan. Now place the saucepan back on the stove and on medium heat, stir until the caramel has dissolved. Pour into a glass pyrex measuring cup. The caramel will thicken as it cools.
Note:
- This caramel has a long shelf life. Store in a cool, dark place at room temperature.
- Hot water is added after sugar is caramelized to stop it from crystallizing. Pure caramel flavour is achieved with just hot water.
- For other methods to prevent crystallization, refer to information provided above the pictures.
- Caramel is enough to coat 18 dedos de dama.
Coating:
Dip each marzipan fingers into the caramel to coat completely. The depth of the cup is perfect to fully coat them at once. Shake off excess caramel and place skewer in an upright position onto the prepared styrofoam base. Set aside to dry.
Serve dedos de dama in a vase or pierced onto a decorative fruit of choice.
