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1
Shell and Soak the Tamarind
20 Mins
Warm water, ~60°C (140°F)
Crack the brittle tamarind pods and pull the sticky pulp away from the shells and stalks, discarding the shells. Pick out the hard seeds and tough fibres, then put the 400 g of pulp in a bowl, pour over the 300 ml of hot water and leave it to soak for 20 minutes, until the pulp is soft. Rub the pulp between your fingers as it soaks to loosen any seeds or fibres you missed.
If you bought a block of seedless pulp, break it into pieces and soak it the same way — the soaking still matters, because dry pulp will not cook evenly.
Done when: Pulp is soft, swollen and coming apart at a touch.
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2
Strain and Boil Down the Pulp
15 Mins
Boiling, 100°C (212°F)
Pour the soaked pulp and its water through a sieve set over a heavy saucepan, pressing firmly with a spoon to push all the soft pulp through and leaving only seeds and fibres behind. Bring the strained liquid to a boil over medium heat and simmer, stirring now and then, for about 10 minutes, until it has reduced to roughly 350 ml and looks like a thick, dark sauce.
Do not skip the straining — a single hard seed in the finished candy can crack a tooth.
Done when: Liquid is thick enough to coat a spoon and has lost its watery shine.
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3
Cook to Soft-Ball Stage
20 Mins
118°C (244°F)
Stir the 300 g of brown sugar, the 2 g of cinnamon and the 2 g of salt into the reduced pulp and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, scraping the bottom and sides so the sugar does not catch. After about 15–20 minutes the mixture will be very thick, glossy and dark, and a candy thermometer will read 118°C (244°F). Test it without a thermometer by dropping a little into cold water — it should form a soft ball that flattens when you pick it up.
Do not walk away at this stage — the candy goes from thick to scorched in under a minute once the water is nearly gone.
Done when: Mixture holds a soft ball in cold water and pulls away from the sides of the pan in a single mass.
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4
Cool and Roll the Balls
10 Mins
Cooling, ~50°C (120°F)
Scrape the hot candy onto the lined tray and leave it for about 10 minutes, until it is cool enough to handle but still soft and pliable. Oil your hands very lightly, then pull off pieces of about 29 g — roughly a walnut — and roll each one between your palms into a smooth ball. Repeat until you have 24 balls.
Roll while the candy is still warm — once it cools completely it firms up and will crack instead of rolling.
Done when: Balls are smooth, round and hold their shape without flattening.
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5
Coat in Sugar and Set
5 Mins
No heat
Roll each ball in the bowl of granulated sugar until coated all over, or in the chilli-sugar bowl (3 g chilli powder mixed with 10 g of the coating sugar) for the hot market-style version. Set the coated balls on parchment paper and leave them uncovered for at least 30 minutes so the outside firms up before packing.
Coat the balls while they are still slightly warm — the sugar grips the surface and will not fall off later.
Done when: Sugar clings in an even coat and the balls feel firm on the outside.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Serve three balls per person with black coffee — the sugar coating crackles, then the chewy centre turns sweet, sour and warm with cinnamon, with the chilli-coated ones giving a slow heat at the end.
El Salvador
1h 15m
