Colher de Pau – Part Two
Toalha Felpuda ( Coconut Cake)
The translation of Toalha Felpuda is “furry towel”, referring to the white blanket of coconut frosting which covers the entire cake. At the first taste, I knew this wasn’t a coconut cake like any other. There was something extra special about it that allowed me to eat without ever feeling the weight of the food entering my body, as if I was eating coconut clouds. Now that was like eating in heaven!
As Lucy and I talked over cake, she revealed the secret to such cloudy results. “I’d better get this down”, I thought. “First, she said, there is no flour in the cake; only potato starch. Second, there is no butter in the frosting.” “Ok, go on”, I said to Lucy writing down in a hurry. And finally, “I only use fresh grated coconut.”
After getting a cramp in my hand from writing so quickly, I heard one of my favorite questions ever: “ Would like the recipe?” She asked. “Are you kidding?”
When I read the recipe, I realized it is actually quite easy. While a bit time consuming (well, it’s a cake after all so you have to prepare three components) it’s very straightforward and quite simple to prepare at home.
Back in my American kitchen, I was looking forward to adapt the recipe to make it work in the US. I was going to use a different genoise, a different pastry cream, and a different meringue. But the more mature cook in me prevailed. The first step, I thought, is to follow the original recipe to see what turns out problematic.
The cake layer was a bit crumbly to slice, but manageable. The frosting was a bit airy, but spreadable. The coconut pastry cream was divine (I had to control myself not to keep tasting it). Humm… I have a lot of faith in this recipe. “All right”, I said, “let’s assemble this baby”.
And then, a miracle happened. Coconut clouds! It tasted exactly like the one I ate in Rio! The cake was so perfect, I immediately wished I had planned a soiree around it. So I did. I brought this cake on New Years Eve to a friend’s house, and we completely devoured the cake, reassuring me that not all recipes have to go through an adapting machine, even when imported from one country to another.
Stay tuned for the next post with the recipe for Toalha Felpuda!