''Bienmesabe'' (

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Cana ...

: "it tastes good to me") is a sweet Spanish dessert prepared with honey, egg yolk, and ground almonds as primary ingredients. Its consistency significantly varies depending upon preparation methods used. The dessert is also popular in the

cuisine of the Canary Islands Canarian cuisine refers to the typical dishes and ingredients in the cuisine of the Canary Islands, and it constitutes an important element in the culture of its inhabitants. Its main features are the freshness, variety, simplicity, and richness ...

. It has been described as influenced by

Moor Moor or Moors may refer to: Nature and ecology * Moorland, a habitat characterized by low-growing vegetation and acidic soils. Ethnic and religious groups * Moors, Muslim inhabitants of the Maghreb, Iberian Peninsula, Sicily, and Malta during ...

ish cuisine. Several variations of the dessert exist.

Overview

Honey, egg yolk and ground almonds are primary ingredients in the preparation of ''bienmesabe'', and some versions are prepared using sugar. Additional ingredients may include lemon zest, cinnamon and sweet wine or sherry. ''Bienmesabe's'' consistency varies greatly depending upon preparation methods, and can vary from the consistency of a sticky sauce thick cream or meringue to a custard or cake. Well-chilled versions may have a toffee-like consistency. As a sauce, ''bienmesabe'' is sometimes served poured over ice cream.

Canary Islands

''Bienmesabe'' is a popular dessert in the

, where it is served with

cat's tongue cookie A cat tongue is a small biscuit (cookie) or chocolate bar available in a number of European, Asian, and South American countries. They are known locally as "kočičí jazýčky" ( Czech), Kattentong (Dutch), "kocie języczki" ( Polish), "lan ...

s. The cookies may be served on the side or crushed and served atop the dessert. On the Canary Islands, the dish may also include rum. It has been described as the "most famous" dessert in Canarian cuisine.

History

''Bienmesabe'' a traditional Spanish dessert has been described as being influenced by the cuisine of the

Moors The term Moor, derived from the ancient Mauri, is an exonym first used by Christian Europeans to designate the Muslim inhabitants of the Maghreb, the Iberian Peninsula, Sicily and Malta during the Middle Ages. Moors are not a distinct or ...

Variations

Panama

Panamanian cuisine Panamanian cuisine is a mix of African, Spanish, and Native American techniques, dishes, and ingredients, reflecting its diverse population. Since Panama is a land bridge between two continents, it has a large variety of tropical fruits, vegetab ...

, ''bienmesabe'' is a dessert dish prepared using milk, rice and

panela Panela () or rapadura (Portuguese pronunciation: ) is an unrefined whole cane sugar, typical of Central and Latin America. It is a solid form of sucrose derived from the boiling and evaporation of sugarcane juice. Panela is known by other na ...

(unrefined whole cane sugar), which is slow cooked.

Puerto Rico

Puerto Rican cuisine Puerto Rican cuisine has its roots in the cooking traditions and practices of Europe (mostly Spain), Africa and the native Taínos. History Puerto Rican cuisine has been influenced by an array of cultures including Taino Arawak, Spanish, an ...

, ''bienmesabe'' is a sweet

syrup In cooking, a syrup (less commonly sirup; from ar, شراب; , beverage, wine and la, sirupus) is a condiment that is a thick, viscous liquid consisting primarily of a solution of sugar in water, containing a large amount of dissolved sugars ...

prepared using coconut milk, egg yolk, rum and sugar. It is used poured atop dishes such as ladyfingers,

sponge cake Sponge cake is a light cake made with egg whites, flour and sugar, sometimes leavened with baking powder. Some sponge cakes do not contain egg yolks, like angel food cake, but most of them do. Sponge cakes, leavened with beaten eggs, originated ...

, and

okra Okra or Okro (, ), ''Abelmoschus esculentus'', known in many English-speaking countries as ladies' fingers or ochro, is a flowering plant in the mallow family. It has edible green seed pods. The geographical origin of okra is disputed, with su ...

Peru

In Peru, bienmesabe is a sweet that has been present since the 19th century. The variety that has become popular is the one that is prepared in Lima and has sweet potato as a basic ingredient. There are other variants that incorporate traditional elements of regional cuisines, such as loche, custard apple or lucuma in Lambayeque.

Spain

''Bienmesabe antequerano'' is prepared in a

marzipan Marzipan is a confectionery, confection consisting primarily of sugar, honey, and almond meal (ground almonds), sometimes augmented with almond oil or extract. It is often made into Confectionery, sweets; common uses are chocolate-covered marzi ...

cake form, which has a soft texture and is topped with sugar. Bienmesabe is a popular dessert in the cuisine of the Canary Islands, where it is served with cat's tongue biscuits. Cookies can be served on the side or crushed and served over dessert. It has been described as the "most famous" dessert in Canarian cuisine. Its origin dates back to the European era of the conquest of the islands (in the fifteenth century), brought by Spanish settlers, who in turn respond to Arab traditions spread in Spain during the Muslim occupation over seven centuries. The Canarian bienmesabe is made of egg, grated almonds, palm honey and grated lemon. It has a thick, grainy and unctuous texture. It can be eaten alone or with other foods, such as ice cream. You can also include rum.

Venezuela

Venezuelan cuisine Venezuelan cuisine is influenced by its EuropeanKohnstamm, Thomas; Kohn, Beth"Venezuela."Lonely Planet. Accessed October 2011. (Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and French), West African, and indigenous traditions. Venezuelan cuisine varies greatly ...

, ''bienmesabe'' is a traditional cake prepared using coconut and

liqueur A liqueur (; ; ) is an alcoholic drink composed of spirits (often rectified spirit) and additional flavorings such as sugar, fruits, herbs, and spices. Often served with or after dessert, they are typically heavily sweetened and un-aged beyond ...

. A sweet sponge cake version that is soaked in a mixture of egg yolks and coconut milk exists as well.

References

{{reflist, 30em, refs= {{cite web , title=The lap of luxury on an isle that's a perfect 10 , website=Independent.ie , date=10 September 2015 , url=http://www.independent.ie/life/travel/the-lap-of-luxury-on-an-isle-thats-a-perfect-10-26262235.html , accessdate=10 September 2015 {{cite web , author=eatingtheglobe , title=Lanzarote – A Much Underrated Foodie's Paradise , website=Eating The Globe-Food and Travel , date=17 August 2015 , url=http://eatingtheglobe.com/lanzarote-a-much-underrated-foodies-paradise/ , accessdate=10 September 2015 , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190505225656/http://eatingtheglobe.com/lanzarote-a-much-underrated-foodies-paradise/ , archive-date=5 May 2019 , url-status=dead {{cite book , last1=Barrenechea , first1=T. , last2=Koehler , first2=J. , last3=Hirsheimer , first3=C. , title=The Cuisines of Spain: Exploring Regional Home Cooking , publisher=Potter/TenSpeed/Harmony , year=2013 , isbn=978-1-60774-615-7 , url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iwMRyheXOWoC&pg=PT83 , page=PT 83 {{cite book , last=Daft , first=R. , title=Menu Del Dia: More Than 100 Classic, Authentic Recipes From Across Spain , publisher=Simon & Schuster , year=2008 , isbn=978-1-4165-7961-8 , url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ohvX5Wih5EwC&pg=PA140 , page=140 {{cite book , title=Berlitz: Canary Islands Pocket Guide , publisher=APA , series=Berlitz Pocket Guides , year=2015 , isbn=978-1-78004-889-5 , url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FDpMCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA128 , page=128 {{cite book , last=Moyna , first=M.I. , title=Compound Words in Spanish: Theory and History , publisher=John Benjamins Publishing Company , series=Amsterdam studies in the theory and history of linguistic science / 4 , year=2011 , isbn=978-90-272-4834-3 , url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mUIO2CYvrjQC&pg=PT61 , page=61 {{cite book , last=Casas , first=P. , title=1,000 Spanish Recipes , publisher=Houghton Mifflin Harcourt , series=1,000 Recipes , year=2014 , isbn=978-0-544-30908-1 , url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XrraAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA662 , page=662 {{cite book , last=Corne , first=L. , title=Canary Islands , publisher=Bradt Travel Guides , series=Bradt Guides , year=2004 , isbn=978-1-84162-108-1 , url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BSc1ytU-4UoC&pg=PA49 , accessdate=September 10, 2015 , page=49 {{cite book , last=Humphreys , first=S. , title=The Rough Guide to Panama , publisher=Rough Guides , series=Rough Guide to... , year=2010 , isbn=978-1-4053-8809-2 , url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9781848361928 , url-access=registration , pag
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} {{cite book , last1=Fodor's Travel Publications , first1=I. , last2=Kidder , first2=L. , last3=Kealy , first3=K. , last4=Duecy , first4=E. , title=Fodor's South America , publisher=Fodor's Travel Publications , series=Fodor's South America , year=2008 , isbn=978-1-4000-0686-1 , url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QX1eX-NNkkcC&pg=PA725 , page=725 {{cite book , last1=Inman , first1=N. , last2=Murphy , first2=P. , title=Travellers Gran Canaria and Tenerife , publisher=Thomas Cook Publishing , series=Thomas Cook travellers , year=2007 , isbn=978-1-84157-816-3 , url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FFetmLQ5xrQC&q=%22Bienmesabe%22+dessert , page=157 {{cite book , last=(Firm) , first=Michelin Travel Publications , title=Andalucia , publisher=Michelin Travel Publications. , series=Michelin green guides , year=2004 , url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KORXAAAAYAAJ&q=%22Bienmesabe%22+dessert , page=133, quote=... the almond- flavoured, meringue-like bienmesabe, a Moorish-influenced dessert. {{cite book , last1=Levy , first1=P. , last2=Bahrawi , first2=N. , title=Puerto Rico , publisher=Marshall Cavendish Benchmark , series=Cultures of the world , year=2005 , isbn=978-0-7614-1970-9 , url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bGud6QTyXr4C&pg=PA125 , language=it , accessdate=September 10, 2015 , page=125 {{cite book , last1=Facaros , first1=D. , last2=Wayne , first2=J. , last3=Pauls , first3=M. , title=Lazy Days Out in Andalucia , publisher=Cadogan Guides , series=Cadogan Food Lovers'/Gourmet Guides: Lazy Days , year=1996 , isbn=978-1-86011-060-3 , url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mkmhSlO1oroC&q=%22Bienmesabe%22+dessert , page=25, quote=You'll do no better than bienmesabe antequerano, a soft marzipan cake with sugar and the ubiquitous almond... {{cite book , title=Business Venezuela , publisher=Venezuelan-American Chamber of Commerce of Venezuela , issue=nos. 163–166 , year=1994 , url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AICzAAAAIAAJ&q=%22Bienmesabe%22+dessert , page=67 Canary Islands cuisine Panamanian cuisine Peruvian desserts Puerto Rican cuisine Spanish desserts Venezuelan cuisine