Cashews are not just nuts ... their fruit is great for making a delicious marmalade like dessert. The cashew is a fruit that is mainly consumed for its nut, but its fruit is still coveted by many. This is the third time I prepare this cashew Dominican dessert. As I had said in this post, my aunt Fresa makes a delicious "dulce de cajuil". She always make some for us, but this time she brought a bag full of this fruit and I decided to make some dulce to my taste ... with little sugar.
this fruit has a variety of names. A few of the names it is known as in countries that visit this blog are the following: in Spain it is known as anacardo, in Uruguay, Argentina and Chile as castaña de cajú, in Peru and Mexico, Colombia, and rest of Central America known as marañón, in Venezuela as merey, and Puerto Rico as pajuil.
Ingredients:
3 pounds cashew apple (about 12 fruits = 1.5 kilo)
16 to 20 cups water (see instructions)
1 ½ cups sugar (300g)
½ -1 tablespoon vanilla (15 ml)
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon fresh ground cloves
Instructions:
1. Remove the cashew nut from the fruit, by turning it clockwise, it will come off easily. Rinse fruit well and cut vertically into six slices.
2. To remove bitterness: place them in a pot with enough water to cover fruit and cook on high for 40 minutes. Discard boiled water, rinse with fresh water and then placed in a heavy-bottomed pot. Add four cups of water; let simmer over moderate heat, semi-covered for 30 minutes.
3. After this time, add four more cups of water or amount needed to almost cover the cashew apples, add sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and cloves. Simmer uncovered for 45 minutes over medium heat.
4. The dessert will be ready when the fruit is very tender and syrup has reduced and has a thick consistency. Let cool completely before refrigerating. Serve cold.
Notes: Total cooking time for mine was 2 and half hours, but waiting was well worth it :) The amount of time depends on how ripe the cashew apples are. It is best to prepare this sweet dessert by adding water in steps like I have done in the preparation to avoid over cooking and prevent fruit from breaking into strings.
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