Dulce de Frijol

Name: Dulce de Frijol
Yield: makes 4 dozen
Ingredients: 1 cup dried pinto or kidney beans, picked and rinsed; 2 quarts water; 1 (3-inch) piece canela; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 2 cups sugar; 2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice; 1 teaspoon grated orange zest; 3/4 cup currants; 1/2 cup sugar plus 1 teaspoon freshly ground canela

December 14, 2011

I know you’re probably thinking, bean candy? That doesn’t sound too good. I was doubtful, too, but I was pleasantly surprised and excited about this wonderful recipe. I am deeply grateful to our dear family friend Amado for getting this recipe that came from his friend. The beans are cooked with cinnamon, puréed, and cooked again with orange juice and sugar. After awhile of stirring, the flavors begin to come together and a wonderful chest nutlike texture is achieved. The paste is then formed into balls and rolled in sugar. I love giving it to people to try and guess what the main ingredient is. Although only one person out of about thirty is able to guess, they all really like it. The original recipe is made with dark raisins, but I prefer to use currants.

Recipe notes

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