Macapuno Preserve Recipe

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Macapuno Photo by JMorton

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Macapuno with Halaya Photo by JMorton

 

I had macapuno with a bit of halaya ube which both came from a jar earlier today.  It was delicious too.  See above photos.

Filipinos have a love affair with macapuno, as a race, we just can’t get enough of it.

We add these  grated thin strips of macapuno into puddings.  We flavour ice-cream with macapuno as well as top up chiffon cake with it for a sumptuous indulgent dessert.

The Philippine Coconut Authority has developed a variety of coconut that would yield Macapuno, which is as fleshy as the ordinary coconut but softer for easier grating and turns gelatinous when cooked.

Macapuno is also called a rather scary name of mutant coconut and sometimes it is called coconut sport as well.

Anyway, if you happen to find a macapuno coconut and would like to try to cook it, then below is an easy to follow recipe.

Macapuno Preserve Recipe

 

Ingredients

  • 2 cups Macapuno or mutant coconut or coconut sport
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 cup water

Method of Preparation:

 

  • Scrape and grate the macapuno meat into long thin strips.  Set aside.
  • Make up the syrup by dissolving the sugar in the water under a low heat.  Don’t let the sugar syrup caramelise.
  • As soon as the sugar had dissolved into a clear syrup, add the macapuno strips a handful at a time to ensure that the sugar syrup is in a constant boil.
  • Let it cook until the strips have turned rather transparent and going to the bottom of the pan under the bubbling syrup.  Again, do not let it caramelise.
  • Set aside to cool slightly then transfer into distilled jar and store until needed.

The macapuno will be very sweet, so you will probably eat a couple of tablespoons at a time.  Mind you, you will keep eating it (maybe not in one sitting) until the jar is empty.  It is that good.  It can be eaten as an accompaniment to fruits, ice-cream and cakes.  It can also make a delicious sandwich.

 

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