Cajeta de Coco (Coconut Fudge) for a Merry Christmas!

 

I, Mina Stone, am Greek and Jewish. (You might need to re-read the first sentence 5 times.) In other words, forgoing all religious beliefs, I am the product of two cultures that love to eat. 

This past week I was in Costa Rica for the Stone family reunion where hiking, water sports, bird watching and horseback riding all took second place to the dilemma of: What’s for breakfast? What’s for lunch? Has anyone even THOUGHT about dinner? We knew one thing for sure- none of us were happy with the hotel’s tourist cuisine.

The events that ensued were slightly embarrassing: my aunt swimming about a mile out into the Pacific ocean to meet a fishing boat, begging them for fresh fish- and even making a secret meeting spot to pick it up the next day. (She didn’t want to make the hotel owner mad.) Meanwhile, I am flexing my Spanish language skills (also embarrassing) and trying to get some local recipes that were easy to make there, and at home. 

Cajeta de coco, or coconut fudge, was one of my favorites. It has the distinct richness of coconut, the deep caramel flavor which comes from simmering the condensed milk, and best of all, a smooth hint of buttery salt. It also works perfectly for the holidays:

Cajeta de Coco (Coconut Fudge)

2 cups sweetened condensed milk

2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut, divided

1 cup salted butter

1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

-Combine all ingredients leaving out 1 cup of the coconut.

-Cook on medium heat until it comes to a boil, stirring constantly. Simmer for an additional 5 minutes until it comes together and you can see the bottom of the pan when you stir.

-Let the mixture cool down completely. Taking a teaspoonful at a time, form into balls.

-Place remaining cup of coconut into a small pan. Toast over medium heat until it just starts to brown.

Roll balls in toasted coconut and they are ready to eat!