The layers of bebinca

At restaurants, bebinca is often accompanied by a scoop of vanilla ice cream, although traditionally, the layers should be moist enough for it to be had by itself, points out de Souza. Pic Courtesy/Wikimedia Commons

The sunshine state of Goa is home to a number of sweet treats - serradura, dodol, Bolo De Rulao and bebinca to name a few. And yet it's only the latter that's commonly hailed as the Queen of Goan desserts, so much so that its Chief Minister Pramod Sawant recently announced that his government would push for a geographical indication (GI) tag for the multilayered confection. Goan chef Gracian de Souza, who spent many summers at his grandparents' Thivim home feasting on bebinca, points out that the dessert is quintessentially Goan. "Growing up there, we'd never get it at supermarkets like you do now. It was either made in the family or by local aunties. What makes it the Queen of Goan desserts is the sheer intricacy involved in baking it, much like the recheado," he reasons.

Fernandes bakes bebincakes for special occasions

Lisbon connect
Chef de Souza shares that the dessert, also called bibik, typically comprises egg yolks, sugar, coconut milk, ghee and nutmeg, topped with slivered almonds. About its origins, he recalls the story of a Portuguese nun who baked it to symbolise the seven hills of Lisbon. The same story can be found in Fátima da Silva Gracias' Cozinha de Goa: History and Tradition of Goan Food, where she writes that "legend has it that the Queen of Goan desserts was an innovation of Bebiana," a nun from Convento da Santa Monica (established in the early 17th century) in old Goa. The book, an authority on Goan cuisine, mentions that almond juice, which was expensive, was substituted with coconut milk. "After her death, the sweet was named bebinca," she writes.

The author, however, also points out that the origins of the multi-layered delicacy are disputed, and that historian Luis Felipe Thomaz has traced the name to Malaysia, where it's called "bingka" or "kutch (cake) lapis (layered)," although it isn't the same as bebinca.

Sunny side up
Chef Hussain Shahzad, who researched extensively across Portugal and Goa before the opening of the city-based O Pedro, tells us that he noticed the dominant use of egg yolks in traditional Portuguese confections, along with sugar. "They had an excess of egg yolk, as the nuns needed the whites to starch their habit. So, they started making confections using the yolks. That's how yolks became popular in desserts in Portugal and its colonies," he explains, about the central role of egg yolks in the festive dessert.

Gracian de Souza and Hussain Shahzad
Gracian de Souza and Hussain Shahzad

Cultural influences
The chefs point out that the proof of a good bebinca is in the layers. "Seven layers is the least you can make. The more layers you add showcases your opulence. Patience is key in the process," Shahzad elaborates. Traditionally made over burning coconut husks, today, it's baked in ovens. He adds that each family has its unique recipe of bebinca. "Some people add nutmeg powder and cinnamon; some add cardamom powder," he explains.

Although characterised by layers, da Silva Gracias in her book notes that Goans also make un-layered bebinca. There are similar variants among Sri Lankans, too, she adds. Among other innovations is a thousand-layered Indonesian cake that Shahzad asserts is similar to bebinca, as a result of Portuguese colonisation and cultural exchange. Closer home, Orlem-based Fiona Fernandes, who took to baking bebinca during the lockdown, has started crafting ‘bebincakes', that range from seven to 51-layered ones. "The fondant artwork is handcrafted by my sister Nisha Marques. The idea was to serve bebinca with a difference, since not many people are making it here. It's been selling like hot cakes," she adds. You bet.

Goan bebinca

Fiona Fernandes

Ingredients
>> 9 egg yolks
>> 400 g granulated white sugar
>> 600 ml coconut milk
>> 150 g all-purpose flour
>> 1/4 tsp grated nutmeg powder
>> 1/4 tsp salt
>> 1 cup ghee
>> 1 tbsp sugar caramel

Method
Whisk together the sugar and egg yolks. Add coconut milk and whisk until the sugar dissolves completely. Tip in little flour at a time and mix well, making sure there are no lumps. Add the salt and nutmeg powder. Strain this mixture and divide into two bowls. In one bowl, stir in the sugar caramel to get a nice brown colour. In a baking pan, add one to two tbsp melted ghee. Add half cup of the light coloured batter. Cook on slow fire.

Once you see the edges browning, transfer the baking pan to a pre-heated oven with only the top heat/grill option. Bake till a toothpick comes out clean. Then, add one tbsp ghee all over the first baked layer. Pour the darker coloured batter over the ghee layer. Bake and repeat the process until all the batter has been used up. If there are any bubbles, poke with a toothpick to release the air.

Once the last layer has been baked, apply the remaining ghee over the top layer and allow the bebinca to rest in the baking pan for six to eight hours. To demould, keep the baking pan over medium heat on a stove top for a minute. Run a knife around the edge to release the bebinca. Flip it over on a serving plate; cut into slices and serve warm.

Craving bebinca?
>> Fi's Delicacies by Fiona Fernandes
Call: 9833095655

>> Goa Portuguesa, Mahim
At: Mili Building, Takandas Kataria Marg, Mahim
Log on to: Swiggy

>> Gables Restaurant, Colaba
At: Glamour Building, Colaba Causeway, Arthur Bunder Road
Log on to: Swiggy or Zomato