Come Christmas, I would eagerly wait for the “kuswar” from friends and neighbors. “Kuswar” is a plate of food that has all the traditional desserts made during Christmas by the Goan Catholics. Everyone has their favorite kuswar item. But mine was the fruitcake and the baathk. Baathk is a semolina coconut cake. I have adapted the original recipe to make a quick saffron infused version of this Goan delicacy. It is a favorite in my house and is over within no time.
What you will need:
| Ingredients | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Baking Powder | 1/5 teaspoon |
| Butter | 2 1/2 tablespoons |
| Cardamom Powder | 1/4 teaspoon |
| Coconut | 125 grams |
| Rose Extract | 1/2 teaspoon |
| Saffrron | 1/4 teaspoon |
| Salt | 1 pinch |
| Semolina | 125 grams |
| Sugar | 200 grams |
| Water | 110 ml |
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 10
How to make it:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Take a large pan. Add the sugar, warm water, 2 tablespoons of butter, saffron and cardamom to the pan. Turn the heat on low and stir till the sugar is completely dissolved.
- Add the semolina and fresh coconut. Mix well ensuring that the mixture is not lumpy. Cook for 7-10 minutes, stirring continuously.
- Take the mixture off the stove and let it cool completely. This step is crucial to prevent the eggs from scrambling.
- In the meantime, beat eggs and the rose essence together.
- Once the semolina-coconut mixture has cooled completely, add the beaten egg mixture.
- Also, add the baking powder dissolved in a few drops of water.
- Mix everything well.
- Pour the mixture into a greased baking pan.
- Bake until a toothpick comes clear when pierced in the center.
- Cool to room temperature and enjoy!