Bienmesabe — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

A luscious Venezuelan dessert of sponge cake soaked in coconut cream and topped with meringue — the name means "tastes good to me" and it absolutely does.

Ingredients

1 sponge cake (store-bought or homemade)
400ml coconut milk
1 can (400g) condensed milk
4 egg yolks
1 cup shredded coconut
1 tsp vanilla
4 egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
Cinnamon for dusting

Instructions

1 Mix coconut milk, condensed milk, and egg yolks in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 10 min.
2 Stir in shredded coconut and vanilla. Let the cream cool.
3 Slice sponge cake into layers and arrange in a baking dish.
4 Pour the coconut cream over the cake, ensuring it soaks in completely.
5 Beat egg whites with sugar until stiff peaks form. Spread meringue over the top.
6 Brown meringue briefly under a broiler or with a torch. Dust with cinnamon. Refrigerate 2 hours before serving.

Did You Know?

Bienmesabe is so beloved that its name has become Venezuelan slang for anything irresistibly delicious.