Multi-flavoured joy atop a stick

It is quite possible that you’ve seen this dessert at some buffet spread or the other, and enjoyed it, too, without even knowing its name. While there is a childlike pleasure in its display with the ‘lollipop'ish look of these bites of goodness that are served on a decorated skewer, rest assured, there is nothing childish about the dedos da dama. In fact, every bite of this dessert will ensure an exotic play of flavours and textures that your taste buds will revel in, be it the smoothness of the marzipan-like interiors with flavors like cashewnut and tender coconut coming through, or the crunch of that bitter sweet sugar caramel it is dipped in just before being served.
“The dedos da dama is a Portuguese-origin dessert that would unfailingly be served at their parties along with a host of other Portuguese-origin sweets,” recalls Ivo Coutinho, author of ‘A day in the Goan kitchen’.
What it is about this dessert that makes it such a hot favourite? Allwyn Fernandes of Joshila Caterers attributes it to the unique and delicate flavour combination of coconut and cashewnut.
While its popularity remains intact — yes, in the times of cheesecakes and souffles, this dessert can definitely hold its own with these bites of goodness flying off the dessert table. And if you delay in serving yourself, there's quite a possibility that you may not get any at all — the number of people who can make an authentic dedos da dama is sadly declining. “It is a slightly long and tedious process. Once the main mix is carefully cooked, it has to be rolled into bite-sized fingers and then mounted on decorated skewers. Also, the final step, the caramel it is dipped in, has to be done just before service or the caramel may melt and start dripping. But most caterers do not make it as they do not know the authentic process,” says Anthony Pinto of Pinto Caterers.
Fernandes says that while they still do get orders for the dessert, they are not as many as before. “Everybody loves the dedos da dama, but the young generation has little knowledge of it,” he says. “Another factor that goes against its popularity is the cost, as this is one of the more expensive desserts,” opines Coutinho.