Cocada
"Cocada"
From the treasured pages of Libro de Recetas no 2
Written by Irazoqui, Susana de Sánchez
Cocada
"Se pone la vispera 1/2 libra almendras se muele. Y 1 libra de coco rayado. Kilo y medio de azucar 3 cuartillos de agua se clarifica la miel y se le revuelve el coco y la almendra y cuando se le vea el fondo en el caso se le revuelve 6 cuartillos de aceite y al ultimo 15 llemas de huevos."
English Translation
"The day before, soak 1/2 pound of almonds and grind them. Also grate 1 pound of coconut. Use one and a half kilos of sugar and 3 quarts of water. Clarify the syrup and stir in the coconut and the almonds, and when you can see the bottom of the pot, stir in 6 quarts of oil and finally 15 egg yolks."
Note on the Original Text
Early 20th-century manuscript recipes like this one were written in a shorthand, conversational style, with little to no measurements, assuming the cook's practical experience. Quantities are given in bulk measures (libra, cuartillo, kilo) based on Spanish and Mexican customary units. Spellings such as "case" (case, pan) and abbreviated directions are typical. Terms like clarificar (to clarify syrup) also relied on the cook's intuition. The recipe is written as a string of instructions, without punctuation or steps, and omits oven temperatures or times, reflecting oral traditions and intimate, domestic knowledge.
Title
Libro de Recetas no 2 (1912)
You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome
Writer
Irazoqui, Susana de Sánchez
Era
1912
Publisher
Unknown
Background
A handwritten treasury of traditional home recipes from early 20th century Durango, Mexico, this volume weaves together intimate snapshots of family cookery during a period of vibrant culinary transformation.
Kindly made available by
University of Texas at San Antonio
This recipe comes from an early 20th-century handwritten Mexican family cookbook from Durango, created during a period of societal upheaval and modernization in Mexico. At this time, home cooks still relied on traditional European and indigenous culinary influences, using both locally available and luxury ingredients like coconut and almonds. Recipes were often written for cooks who already had a practical knowledge of kitchen processes. The book, penned by women of the Irazoqui family, documents a time when domestic traditions were carefully handed down, and recipes such as this cocada (a sweet coconut confection) mirrored festive and everyday culinary life in upper middle-class northern Mexican homes.
Traditionally, this cocada would have been prepared in a large copper or heavy iron cazuela (pan) over a wood or charcoal stove. Almonds would be pounded with a molcajete or stone metate. Manual eggbeaters or simply a fork would be used to beat the yolks. Grated coconut would be made by hand with a simple hand grater. Stirring was typically done with a large wooden spoon, and the sweet would be poured into a shallow wooden or enamel tray to cool.
Prep Time
1 hr
Cook Time
1 hr
Servings
30
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
- 8 ounces raw almonds (blanched and ground)
- 1 pound fresh grated coconut (or unsweetened desiccated coconut, rehydrated)
- 3.3 pounds granulated sugar
- 6 cups water
- 6 cups light vegetable oil (e.g., sunflower or canola; substitute for historical olive oil if desired)
- 15 egg yolks
Instructions
- Prepare the day before by soaking or blanching 8 ounces of almonds, then grinding them finely.
- Grate 1 pound of fresh coconut.
- Combine 3.3 pounds of granulated sugar with approximately 6 cups of water in a large pot to make a syrup.
- Once clarified, add the grated coconut and ground almonds, stirring constantly.
- Let the mixture cook until you can see the bottom of the pot when stirring.
- At this point, incorporate 6 cups of light vegetable oil gradually while stirring.
- Finally, beat 15 egg yolks and mix them in at the end, cooking gently until thickened.
- Pour into a tray lined with parchment or oiled, allow to cool completely before cutting into squares or serving as spoonfuls.
Estimated Calories
780 per serving
Cooking Estimates
Preparing the ingredients takes about 1 hour, including blanching and grinding almonds, grating coconut, and beating egg yolks. Cooking the mixture on the stove takes about 1 hour, since you need to cook the syrup, add the coconut and almonds, cook until thick, slowly add oil, and finally finish with the yolks. Once cooked, let the dessert cool completely in the tray before serving.
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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