Traditional Indian Christmas Sweets: Coconut lovers, this Goan Christmas cookie is for you!

Bolinhas are coconut and semolina biscuits from Goa.

It goes without saying that the numerous mouthwatering treats are the only thing that consistently makes our hungry hearts skip a beat during the festive season. We also know that, with Christmas quickly approaching, your heart is already racing to sample the wide range of holiday favorites served during the lavish feast laid out for your dearest family and friends. For the majority of non-Christian Indians residing in India though, Christmas is limited to huge, vibrant trees, Santa Claus, and snow, but things have begun to change in recent years. The joyful celebration spans a month and features many festivities such as lights and color, giving and receiving presents, cakes, songs, carols, and of course, the much-loved Santa. Christmas is also a time for live music and dance performances, which add to the excitement and vibrancy of the holiday.

With as many as 28 states and 8 union territories dotting our geographical landscape, there are distinctive Christmas food customs in almost every part of India, be it Kerala, Kolkata, Mumbai, or Goa! Let us discuss Goa for now and save the other cities for another day. So, how did Goa get started with celebrating Christmas at all? The answer is this: Portuguese traditions have had a delightful effect on Goan Christmas celebrations, resulting in a special fusion of cultural harmony. During Christmas, Goa, dressed out like a newlywed bride, pulsates with life, joy, and festive energy. Christmas markets brimming with festive fare, nativity displays, and glittering lights make the streets come alive. Goa, home to some of India's most exquisite cathedrals, adds even more significance to the Midnight Mass custom followed during this time. Goan Catholics celebrate midnight masses, known locally as Missa de Galo, which last long into the wee hours of the morning.

When Yuletide history and culture is being discussed, can food be far behind? No, not at all. Goa's Christmas festivities wouldn't be the same without delectable cuisine. Goan Christmas feasts are genuinely unforgettable, with an extravagant array of pastries, wine, and other delicacies from across the world together with traditional dishes such Bolinhas, Prawn Balchao, Dodol, and Bebinca, to name a few. Talking of Bolinhas , the highly distinctive Goan Bolinhas are a must-have for every Christmas plate. They are referred to as "bolinhos de coco" in Portuguese, which means “tiny coconut cakes” in Portuguese. And, Bolinhas taste precisely like that. You are going to love them!

Bolinhas are coconut and semolina cake-like cookies with a cardamom flavor. They are soft on the inside and somewhat crunchy and crisp on the outside when you take them out of the oven. As they cool, the delightful flavor of cardamom wafts in the background, transforming into a melt-in-your-mouth cloud of coconut and semolina. To taste the explosion of coconut flavor as these delicious cookies crumble and melt in your tongue, all you have to do is bite into them! For added sweetness, you can top them off with bits of Cadbury Dairy Milk Fruit & Nut chocolate!

After providing you with some background information on its history and culture, let's talk about the components and the recipe that goes into making the perfect Bolinhas. Continue reading.

Ingredients:

• 4 egg yolks
• 1 cup of castor/powdered sugar
• 1.5 cups of semolina (sooji)
• 1.5 cups of ground cashew nuts
• 1 tsp of cardamom powder
• 2 cups of grated coconut
• Cadbury Dairy Milk Fruit & Nut chocolate (optional)
• A greased baking tray

Directions:

• Beat sugar and egg yolks with a hand or electric beater together until light and creamy.
• After combining all the ingredients except the coconut, cover and refrigerate for eight hours.
• Add the coconut and stir
• Put the bolinhas by forming them roughly into twelve little balls, flatten a little and transfer on a baking sheet that has been dusted with flour.
• Preheat the oven to 375°F and bake for 15 minutes till golden brown.
• Then, put on the top heat for about 1 minute to give the bolinhas a wonderful brown hue on top. However, If the top heat is on, please watch to make sure the top doesn't burn.
• Place the bolinhas on a wire rack to cool entirely. Once cooled, keep them in an airtight container.
• Serve as needed and enjoy with a sprinkling of Cadbury Dairy Milk Fruit & Nut chocolate bits

Tips and Tricks

The dish’s history, geography and culture, the ingredients, the directions — all are in place just for you here. But wait, getting a few extra secret tips and tricks while prepping this delicacy never really hurt anyone, does it? And. so, we have collated some steaming hot and fresh tips for making the perfect Bolinhas for you as below:

• If you're using frozen coconut shreds or flakes, thaw them first, then puree them in a blender with two tablespoons of water until they're rather fine.
• The ground green cardamom and coconut's fragrant molecules contribute to the cookie's perceived sweetness. When you want to bring out the sweetness of other sweets without adding more sweetener, try using fragrant spices and ingredients like nutmeg, cinnamon, orange blossom water, or rose water—all of which are typically associated with sweets.
• Fresh coconut is mashed into a paste for the traditional bolinha, giving it a silky texture. You can also use a blend of ground and shredded coconut if you like the texture of the latter.
• Before the dried coconut and semolina come together, you can toast it; just make sure it cools down beforehand.
• Utilize granulated sugar to aid in the development of a moist crumb between the coconut pieces and semolina in the cookie.
• In a large, spotless bowl, beat the egg whites until they are light and frothy. To keep the egg whites from becoming foamy, make sure that no yolk material gets into them.
• The gooey batter gets temporarily stiffer after being refrigerated. Work fast to prevent the dough from becoming sticky after removing it from the refrigerator.
• It will soften when it gets to room temperature (body temperature may also warm it quickly, so don't work with the dough too much). To help it firm up again, refrigerate for a short while more.

Try this delicious dish to add that extra special touch to your Christmas celebrations.