Bocadillo De Coco
"Coconut Candy"
From the treasured pages of Libor de Gisados de Maria Guadalupe Reyes
Written by Maria Guadalupe Reyes
Bocadillo De Coco
"A Un Coco tres libras de Azucar blanca se Raya el Coco se pone la Almibar de punto q.e suene contra una Tabla y luego se baja el Cazo se le echa el Coco y se esta batiendo hasta que se haga Chicle y luego se echa en una tablita y se le echa gragea y asi q.e sé enfrie sé aparta."
English Translation
"To one coconut, three pounds of white sugar. Grate the coconut, make a syrup with the sugar to the point that it crackles against a board, then remove the pan from the heat, add the coconut, and stir until it becomes chewy. Then pour it onto a little board, sprinkle with decorative sugar, and once it cools, separate it."
Note on the Original Text
The recipe is written in an imperative, almost shorthand style common in 19th-century manuscripts, assuming the reader's familiarity with basic confectionery techniques. Measurements are in libras (Spanish pounds), and precision relies on sensory cues, like listening for the syrup to 'sound' when dropped against a board—a classic marker for candy-making stages before thermometers were common. Spelling and capitalization are typical of the period and reflect fluid standards: 'Reyes' uses phonetic shorthand (e.g., 'qe' for 'que') and lowercase, giving the manuscript a personal, conversational tone.
Title
Libor de Gisados de Maria Guadalupe Reyes (1828)
You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome
Writer
Maria Guadalupe Reyes
Era
1828
Publisher
Unknown
Background
A handwritten treasure of 19th-century Mexican cuisine, this delightful manuscript brims with over 300 recipes ranging from festive traditional dishes to indulgent desserts. Explore ancestral flavors, ceremonial dishes like totolmole oaxaqueño, and sweet treats such as pollas borrachas, all artfully captured in Maria Guadalupe Reyes's elegant script.
Kindly made available by
University of Texas at San Antonio
Bocadillo de Coco, as recorded by Maria Guadalupe Reyes in 1828, showcases the transformation of native ingredients like coconut using European confectionery techniques brought to colonial Mexico. This treat reflects the blending of indigenous and Spanish influences, and was typically reserved for festive occasions or as a luxurious sweet due to the high cost and prestige of sugar in the early 19th century. Maria Guadalupe Reyes' notebook offers a unique snapshot of Mexican kitchen practices in the post-independence period, and features both local and international recipes. This coconut sweet sits among other delicacies in her manuscript that blend native fruits, European methods, and celebratory decorations, like grageas.
The recipe would have been made using a sturdy hand grater to process the coconut and a heavy copper or clay cauldron (cazo) for boiling the sugar syrup, prized for their even heat distribution. Wooden mixing spoons or paddles were used for stirring. For cooling and portioning, a flat wooden board (tablita) served as the setting tray. Decorative sugar sprinkles (gragea) would be scattered by hand, a prized touch in traditional Mexican confectionery.
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Servings
20
We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!
Ingredients
- 1 fresh coconut (approximately 14–18 oz grated coconut flesh)
- 3 pounds (1.36 kg) white granulated sugar
- Sugar sprinkles (gragea) for decoration
Instructions
- To prepare Bocadillo de Coco as described in the manuscript, start by grating the fresh coconut finely.
- In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the grated coconut with 3 lbs (1.36 kg) of white sugar.
- Prepare a sugar syrup (almíbar) by heating the sugar with a little water until it reaches the hard-ball stage—test this by dropping a little syrup into cold water; if it snaps against a board, it's at the desired point.
- Once the syrup is ready, remove the pan from the heat and immediately stir in the grated coconut.
- Beat the mixture vigorously until it thickens and takes on a chewy, elastic texture.
- Quickly spread the mixture onto a small, greased or lined tray (tablita).
- Decorate with colorful sugar sprinkles (gragea), and let it cool.
- Once set, slice and serve.
Estimated Calories
275 per serving
Cooking Estimates
It takes about 15 minutes to grate the coconut and get everything ready. Cooking the syrup and mixing in the coconut takes another 30 minutes. Once finished, you'll need to let it cool before slicing. Each piece has around 275 calories, and the whole recipe makes about 20 servings.
As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.
We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.
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