GAZNATES
(makes 18 to 24)

4 egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup flour
Aguardiente (sugar cane alcohol) or rum
Egg whites
Lard or oil
Confectioners' sugar
Ground cinnamon

Beat the egg yolks thoroughly with the baking soda. Gradually add the flour, making a soft dough. Shape the dough into a ball. Moisten your hands with aguardiente and pat the dough. Repeat 3 times. Cover the dough with a cloth and let it stand for 10 minutes.

Pinch off a small amount of dough and roll it out as thin as possible (keeping the rest of the dough covered to avoid drying). Cut into medium-size squares. Moisten two opposite corners with egg white and press them together to make a tube. Fry in deep hot lard. Drain on brown paper and roll in a mixture of sugar and cinnamon. These cookies can also be filled with pastry cream or cocada (see page 198).

COCADA
(6 servings)

4 cups milk
2-1/2 cups sugar
1 coconut, peeled and grated
6 egg yolks, beaten

Boil the milk and sugar until thickened. Add the coconut. Simmer for 30 minutes, then remove from the heat. Gradually add the egg yolks, beating with a whisk until the mixture thickens to the consistency of a pudding. Pour into an ovenproof dish and bake in a preheated 350ºF oven until lightly golden.

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