{"id":9418,"date":"2021-04-23T22:46:54","date_gmt":"2021-04-23T22:46:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/familiakitchen.com\/?p=9418"},"modified":"2022-05-01T01:23:07","modified_gmt":"2022-05-01T01:23:07","slug":"lilianas-bienmesabe-venezuelas-favorite-coconut-cake","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/familiakitchen.com\/es\/lilianas-bienmesabe-venezuelas-favorite-coconut-cake\/","title":{"rendered":"Bienmesabe de Liliana, el pastel de coco favorito de Venezuela"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\u201cBienmesabe is one of the most famosos desserts in my country, Venezuela,\u201d says Liliana Hern\u00e1ndez, one of our favorite homecooks. Similar to tres leches<\/a>, this delicate layer cake is drenched in a creamy syrup, in this case coconut. It\u2019s then topped with meringue and sprinkled with cinnamon. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The original recipe for bienmesabe\u2014which means: it tastes good to me\u2014 didn\u2019t have the top layer of meringue. That addition came later, in a savvy commercial play by Venezuela\u2019s bakeries to increase this bizcocho\u2019s beauty factor\u2014and sales, says Liliana. Some people add a touch of liquor like muscatel wine, cognac or sherry, she adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However you make yours, \u201cwhen you serve this, get ready for a big reaction from friends and family, like you have never seen before,\u201d says Liliana, who was born in Caracas. \u201dThis creamy coconut-cake-meringue dessert is a revelation. It is so moist, so rich, yet so light, and so delicious\u2014it should be called \u201cmaravilloso-me-sabe.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"bienmesabe\"
Bienmesabe is lush and light, with layers of cake, coconut filling, and a meringue topping.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Liliana remembers first making this iconic Venezuelan cake more than 25 years ago with her cousin Deyanira, who also loves to bake. \u201cIt came out so well that our coworkers started putting in orders with us to make it for them! It was a big success, but we couldn\u2019t keep it up because in those days we went to university at night and worked by day. There just wasn\u2019t time for making bienmesabe.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can see Liliana making this step by step on her YouTube homecooking and baking show, \u201cMi Show de Cocina<\/a>\u2014with her cousin, who joined her online via Madrid, where she now lives. \u201dWe Venezuelans make bienmesabe anytime of year. That said, it\u2019s a very special dessert because it takes time to make it, and that is why I recommend waiting for a Saturday or Sunday when you have time. It may not be the easiest bizcocho, but I promise you it is the most delicious.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You will see why when you taste it, says Liliana. \u201dOne bite and you\u2019ll be a bienmesabe fanatic, like all of us in Venezuela.\u201c<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ready for a Master Class? How to Make Venezuelan Bienmesabe Cake<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\"Liliana\u2019s\t\t\t\t
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\n\t \n\t \t\n \n <\/svg>\n\t Print<\/span>\n\t <\/a>\n\t <\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Liliana\u2019s Bienmesabe, Venezuela\u2019s Favorite Coconut Cake<\/h2>\n\n
\n \t\t \t\t\tRecipe by Liliana Hern\u00e1ndez<\/span>\n \t\t\n
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  • <\/li>
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  • <\/li><\/ul>4.6<\/small> from<\/small> 51<\/small> votes<\/small><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/em>\n\t\t\t<\/div> <\/div>\n\t\t
    \n Cuisine: Venezuelan<\/mark><\/span> <\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t
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    <\/span>Servings<\/span>

    8 to 10<\/p>servings<\/span><\/div>

    <\/span>Prep time<\/span>

    40<\/p>minutes<\/span><\/div>

    <\/span>Cooking time<\/span>

    3<\/p>hours <\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n \n\t\t\n\t\t\t

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    Ingredients<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
    • For the 2 Cake Halves<\/strong><\/li>
    • <\/span>

      14<\/span> eggs, room temperature<\/span><\/p><\/li>

    • <\/span>

      1<\/span> vanilla bean<\/span><\/p><\/li>

    • <\/span>

      2 1\/4<\/span> cups<\/span> sugar<\/span><\/p><\/li>

    • <\/span>

      3<\/span> cups<\/span> cake flour<\/span><\/p><\/li>

    • <\/span>

      10<\/span> Tbsp<\/span> butter, unsalted, melted<\/span><\/p><\/li>

    • For the Coconut Cream<\/strong><\/li>
    • <\/span>

      3 1\/2<\/span> cups<\/span> coconut milk<\/span><\/p><\/li>

    • <\/span>

      18<\/span> egg yolks, room temperature<\/span><\/p><\/li>

    • <\/span>

      2<\/span> cups<\/span> hot water<\/span><\/p><\/li>

    • <\/span>

      1<\/span> tsp<\/span> salt<\/span><\/p><\/li>

    • <\/span>

      For the Syrup<\/span><\/p><\/li>

    • <\/span>

      3<\/span> cups<\/span> sugar<\/span><\/p><\/li>

    • <\/span>

      1<\/span> cup<\/span> water<\/span><\/p><\/li>

    • For the Meringue<\/strong><\/li>
    • <\/span>

      7<\/span> egg whites, room temperature<\/span><\/p><\/li>

    • <\/span>

      2\/3<\/span> cup<\/span> sugar<\/span><\/p><\/li>

    • <\/span>

      1\/4<\/span> tsp<\/span> salt<\/span><\/p><\/li>

    • <\/strong>Putting It All Together: Build Your Bienmesabe!<\/strong><\/li>
    • <\/span>

      \u00bd to 1 <\/span> cup<\/span> coconut water or coconut milk, depending on the size of your serving dish<\/span><\/p><\/li>

    • <\/span>

      1<\/span> cup<\/span> shredded coconut, sweetened<\/span><\/p><\/li>

    • <\/span>

      1<\/span> Tbsp<\/span> cinnamon, for sprinkling over the finished cake<\/span><\/p><\/li><\/ul>\n \t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t

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      Directions<\/h3>\n\t\t\t
      • Make the 2 Cake Halves<\/strong><\/li>
      • Preheat oven to 350\u00b0<\/li>
      • Fill a large pot with water and place on the stovetop, on medium heat. Bring to a simmer. You will use this laster as your water bath or ba\u00f1o Maria.<\/li>
      • Butter and flour two baking pans. (Liliana uses two square pans 10 by 10 inches and 1.5 inch deep.)<\/li>
      • Melt the butter and set aside in a bowl.<\/li>
      • Sift the flour and set aside.<\/li>
      • Place the eggs, corn syrup, and scraped seeds from the vanilla bean in a larg bowl. Using an electric mixer set to medium high, beat for about 1 minute.<\/li>
      • Slowly add the sugar. <\/li>
      • Once the sugar is fully blended, place the bowl on top of your water bath, which should be simmering at a low boil on the stovetop. <\/li>
      • Using a handheld whisk, gently beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla mixture. When the water bath warms your mixture (to about 113F\u2014use a baking thermometer if you have one, says Lilian), switch to using an electric hand mixer.<\/li>
      • Beat with the mixer set to high, until the egg, sugar and vanilla mixture firms up and forms stiff peaks.<\/li>
      • Remove from the water bath. Lower the speed so that the mix doesn\u2019t deflate and keep beating until it cools slightly and the consistency is firm enough that the mix holds its shape.<\/li>
      • Scoop out 1\/2 cup and add to the bowl with the melted butter. <\/li>
      • Using a spatula, gently fold the sifted flour into the sugar, egg and vanilla mixture.<\/li>
      • Gently fold the set-aside butter and egg mixture bowl into the mixture. <\/li>
      • You\u2019re ready to bake. Pour \u00bd of the batter into each of the 2 buttered and floured pans.<\/li>
      • Place both pans into the preheated oven for 20 minutes. <\/li>
      • When done, take the cakes out of the oven and let cool. <\/li>
      • Wrap in plastic and chill in the fridge until ready to use.<\/li>
      • Make the Coconut Cream<\/strong><\/li>
      • Open the cans of coconut milk and pour into a clean large bowl or pot.<\/li>
      • Add the egg yolks and salt. <\/li>
      • Mix well and set the coconut cream mixture aside.<\/li>
      • Make the Syrup<\/strong><\/li>
      • Cook for 15 minutes, without stirring.
        • \"bienmesabe\"<\/figure><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/li>
        • Mix the water and sugar in a pot.<\/li>
        • Set the pot on top of the stovetop water bath, now set to high heat.<\/li>
        • Turn off the heat. Set the syrup aside.<\/li>
        • Reserve 1 cup of the syrup in a separate small bowl. To this bowl, add 1 cup of the coconut cream mix. Set aside for later use.<\/li>
        • Mix the Cream and Syrup<\/strong><\/li>
        • Return the syrup pot to the stovetop water bath, set to low.<\/li>
        • Add the small bowl with the reserved 2 cups of coconut cream and syrup. (This helps temper the syrup.).<\/li>
        • Add the rest of the coconut cream. <\/li>
        • Gently stir the mixture and let it simmer. When it almost starts to boil and you see small bubbles forming at the edges, it is ready.<\/li>
        • Remove from the water bath. <\/li>
        • Pour the mixture through a strainer into a large clean bowl. <\/li>
        • Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours, until it thickens to the consistency of heavy cream.<\/li>
        • Make the Meringue<\/strong><\/li>
        • In a clean bowl, add the egg whites, sugar and salt.<\/li>
        • Place the bowl on your stovetop water bath, set to low heat. <\/li>
        • Hand whisk the mixture until the sugar has dissolved completely. You will know it\u2019s ready when you can pick up a tiny pinch of the liquid with your fingers and it is semi-firm, like an egg yolk. The mixture will feel soft and have no discernible grains of sugar.<\/li>
        • Take the bowl off the water bath and place on the counter.<\/li>
        • With your electric mixer set to high, beat until it forms stiff meringue peaks.<\/li>
        • Putting It All Together: Build Your Bienmesabe!<\/strong><\/li>
        • Measure out a cup of coconut water or coconut milk and a cup of the shredded coconut.<\/li>
        • Place the first layer of your cake in a glass baking pan with edges at least 3 inches high, so the cream and meringue don\u2019t spill or slide. ( If you need to cut the cake layers to fit them into your pan, no problem, says Liliana. No one will be able to tell under the creamy layers of coconut cream and meringue.) <\/li>
        • Drizzle about \u00bd of a cup of the coconut water or milk over the first layer, so that it is moist but not drenched.<\/li>
        • Sprinkle half a cup of the shredded coconut over the first layer.<\/li>
        • Spread half the coconut and egg yolk cream over the first layer, so that it covers all of it.<\/li>
        • Add the second layer of cake and repeat the steps.<\/li>
        • Drizzle coconut water of milk over the second layer.<\/li>
        • Sprinkle the rest of the shredded coconut over the second layer.<\/li>
        • Spread the rest of the coconut cream over the second layer.<\/li>
        • With a spatula, spread the meringue evenly over the full cake. (You can make pretty meringue flowers or waves, if you wish.)<\/li>
        • Sprinkle cinnamon evenly over the meringue.<\/li>
        • It\u2019s ready. Put your beautiful bienmesabe, uncovered, in the refrigerator to chill. Serve it VERY cold, says Liliana. And get ready to impress your guests with this dessert maravilloso.<\/li><\/ul>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t
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          Notes<\/h3>\n\t\t\t
          • A water bath of ba\u00f1o de Maria is a technique used to bake eggs. The cook gently slow-cooks the egg mixture over a second, larger pan filled with water simmering at a low heat. This helps the egg mixture turn ito a rich custard\u2014without burning or drying.<\/li>
          • When you start, the eggs and butter should be room temperature. Take them out about an hour before using them.<\/li>
          • Liliana learned to make this cake using real coconuts. She was taught to crack the hard shell, scrape out the coco meat inside, cook it, strain it and use the resulting coconut milk to make this cake. To simplify things, this recipe uses canned coconut milk\u2014but Liliana wants you to know that\u2014if you have the time\u2014this famous Venezuelan cake tastes even better if you make coconut milk from scratch.<\/li><\/ul>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n \n\t\n\t\t\t