COCONUT & BISCUIT SLICE - BRAÇ DE GITANO DE GALETES I COCO

This recipe brings back many old memories. When growing up in Catalonia, my grandmother use to make this slice for special occasions. I remember how much I loved it, because we didn't have many sweet desserts back then. I have been thinking about it every so often for many years, but it looked like the recipe was lost and nobody in my family knew how to make it. My perseverance paid off and have finally found it online. I couldn't wait to make it, sometimes things change with time and they do not taste as you remembered it. Well, that was not the case, and it is fantastic! Truly enjoyed by my husband as well. And the best is that it doesn't require any cooking and can be served about half and hour after you made it. Yummo! 😁😋

P.S. I have made it again several times, but last night I used a topping from a cake from Ottolenghi... It was even better with the crunchy coconut chips.....

Ingredients

100g butter, at room temperature

100g grated coconut + extra for decorating

4 eggs

3 Tbsp caster sugar

25 - 30 Maria or similar biscuits (I used Arnold's Nice biscuits)

A few drops of Malibu (optional)

milk

100g caster sugar, extra

a pinch of salt

3 drops of vinegar

Preparation

Separate the egg yolks from the whites. Put the egg yolks in a medium size bowl and add the sugar, the coconut and the butter, cut into small cubes.

Using a fork, mix all ingredients until well blended. Add the Malibu if using.

Soak the biscuits one by one with a little milk. (It is important to soak the biscuits well with milk but we must be careful not to overdo it because otherwise, when we press the mixture between the biscuits, they will break. It is enough to put a 5mm thick milk on a plate, soak the cookie on one side and the other quickly and let it drain on the edge of the plate.)

Soak one and put some coconut mixture well spread all over the biscuit, soak another one and stick it to the first biscuit as if it were a sandwich, soak a few at a time, and then put them on a long serving platter.

  

Once the biscuits and coconut mixture are finished, put the slice in the fridge for a while. This dessert can be prepared up to this point the day before.

One hour, maximum two before serving, make the meringue. I used the Thermomix to do that, but you can find a recipe here if you don't have one.

Place the butterfly on the blades. Place the egg whites, sugar, salt and vinegar in mixing bowl and cook 4 min / 50 ° C / speed 3.5. Then mount 4 min / speed 3.5. 

Cover the top and sides of the slice with the meringue.

  

Sprinkle with the extra coconut and decorate to your liking. I used some kumquats and rosemary flowers from the garden. Refrigerate until serving time.

To serve it, cut the slice on the diagonal. 

Serves 6 

VARIATION:

Crispy Coconut Chips Topping

Ingredients:

100 g coconut flakes

3 tablespoons of maple syrup

a good splash of Malibu (optional)

1/4 teaspoon of salt

To make the coconut topping, place the coconut flakes, maple syrup, a little dash of Malibu (optional) and salt on a lined baking tray. Toss to combine. 

Bake on 165C fan forced for 8minutes. Stir everything again & bake for a further 5 minutes or until golden and crispy. Set aside to cool, and it will crisp up further.

Put on the top of the cake and sprinkle some rose petals if you have some....

Cut on the diagonal and serve.