Canarian bienmesabe

Canarian bienmesabe is an almond-and-egg-yolk dessert. Tenerife tourism’s recipe places its almond paste over syrup-soaked biscuits, with sugar, lemon and cinnamon contributing to the dessert’s flavour.

Water and sugar heat together, with lemon peel and a cinnamon stick added when the liquid is hot. The syrup cooks until it forms a thick thread from the stirring spoon, and approximately one third is reserved.

The almonds are peeled and ground, then added to the remaining syrup. This mixture cooks gently with stirring for fifteen to twenty minutes.

Off the heat, the cinnamon stick is removed and beaten yolks are gradually stirred into the almond mixture. The paste is then cooked in a bain-marie until it takes on the colour described in the recipe.

Biscuits form a base in individual dishes or on a dessert tray and are soaked in the reserved syrup. The almond paste goes on top and the dessert is served cold. The recipe offers a few drops of rum or cognac as an optional perfume for the biscuit syrup.