Habichuelas con Dulce

Habichuelas con dulce is a creamy Dominican sweet-bean dessert associated with Lent. Clara Gonzalez’s family version combines red kidney beans with coconut milk, evaporated milk, sweet potato, raisins, cinnamon and cloves. Milk cookies finish the dessert.

The boiled beans are blended with their reserved cooking water. The purée is strained to remove skins and solids, leaving a smooth liquid for the dessert pot.

Coconut milk, evaporated milk, salt, granulated white sugar and vanilla extract join the bean liquid with cinnamon sticks, cloves and diced sweet potato. The pot simmers gently until the sweet potato is cooked, then raisins simmer in it for another ten minutes.

The cinnamon sticks are removed; Gonzalez also allows the cloves to be removed. The dessert cools to room temperature and is chilled before serving. Milk cookies are added to the beans on the plate.

Gonzalez describes family and regional variations around this Lenten food. Her serving suggestions include optional casabe: the cassava bread is spread with salted butter and toasted golden, then served separately alongside the cold beans.