Belizean Cutubrute (Coconut Candy)
Cutubrute is Belizean coconut candy, also spelled coco brut. Cubed fresh coconut is boiled with brown sugar, its own coconut water and grated ginger until the mixture pulls away from the pot, then spread on a wet tray and scored into pieces. It sets hard and sticky rather than soft. Four ingredients and no candy thermometer. It sits alongside coconut crusts in the Belizean sweet-tooth repertoire.
Cutubrute Recipe Ingredients:
- Young coconut meat from 1 coconut, ideally not too old, about 3 cups (300 g) diced, plus the 1 to 1.5 cups (240 to 360 ml) of coconut water from the shell
- 1 cup (200 g) brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) water in total, counting the coconut water you drained from the shell
- 1 teaspoon (2 g) ginger, grated fresh ginger is preferred
Belizean Cutubrute Recipe Instructions:
Prepare the Coconut
- Find the soft hole among the three on the coconut. Use a knife to open it and drain the water. Expect to collect about 1 to 1.5 cups (240 to 360 ml) of coconut water.
- Crack the coconut open with the back end of a cleaver and use a small knife to remove the meat. Be careful during this step to avoid injury.
- Rinse the coconut meat to remove any shell fragments. Dice the coconut meat into small pieces around 1 to 2 cm. The cube is what makes it cutubrute rather than tableta, so do not grate it.
Cooking Process
- On medium to high heat, add brown sugar to a heavy bottom pot. Break up any lumps.
- Strain the coconut water to ensure no shell chips are included and add it to the pot. Stir to let the sugar dissolve.
- Add the diced coconut pieces to the pot, ensuring they are well-coated with the sugar-water mixture.
- Stir in 1 teaspoon of grated fresh ginger.
- Allow the mixture to come to a boil, then add the rest of the water. The coconut needs to boil until tender.
- Reduce the heat to medium as the mixture starts to reduce and thicken. You don’t need a candy thermometer; the confection is ready when it releases from the side of the pot.
Finalizing the Candy
- Prepare a baking tray by running water over it (do not grease it).
- Once the mixture is ready, spread it out on the tray.
- Score the candy immediately to make it easier to cut into pieces later.
- Let it set, then use a dough cutter to lift and separate the pieces. The candy will be sticky and gooey.
Serving Suggestions:
Enjoy this traditional Belizean treat as a delicious snack or a survival treat, showcasing the rich flavors of coconut, brown sugar, and ginger.
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Notes:
- Patience is key when dicing the coconut into small pieces for the perfect texture.
- Fresh ginger enhances the flavor, but you can adjust the amount according to your taste preference.
Estimated Nutritional Information per Serving
- Calories: 104.48 kcal
- Fat: 2.68 g
- Carbohydrates: 20.87 g
- Sugar: 19.74 g
- Fiber: 0.72 g
- Protein: 0.27 g
Storage and Make-Ahead
Cutubrute keeps two weeks in an airtight container at room temperature, which is most of the point of a boiled sugar candy. Layer the pieces with parchment between them, because they stay tacky and will weld into one slab otherwise.
Humidity is the enemy. In a damp kitchen the surface goes wet and the pieces slump. An airtight tin beats a plastic bag, and the fridge is worse than either because condensation forms when you take it out.
It does not need making ahead. Start to finish is under an hour once the coconut is out of the shell, and cracking the coconut is the slow part. That can be done a day early with the meat and water kept refrigerated separately.
Equipment
A heavy-bottomed pot. Two cups of brown sugar over medium-high heat will scorch in a thin pan, and scorched sugar cannot be rescued.
A cleaver for the coconut and a small knife to prise the meat out. No candy thermometer. The signal is visual: the mixture stops spreading and starts releasing from the side of the pot.
A baking tray rinsed with water and not dried, and not greased. The wet surface is what stops the candy bonding to the metal. A dough cutter or bench scraper lifts the scored pieces cleanly.
FAQ: Understanding Belizean Cutubrute and Related Coconut Treats
What are other spellings for Cutubrute?
Cutubrut is a unique Belizean candy with a few variations in its spelling, reflecting the diverse linguistic heritage of Belize. Some common alternative spellings include “coco brut”, “cocobrut”, “cut-o-brut”, “Kotobrut” and “Cutobrut.” Despite the variations in spelling, all refer to the same delicious coconut-based confection, a staple in Belizean cuisine.
Is Cutubrute the same thing as Tableta?
No, Cutubrute and Tableta are not the same, although both are traditional Belizean sweets made from coconut. Cutubrute is a coconut candy that is boiled and then hardened into a brittle-like texture, often flavored with ginger. The size of the coconut in the treat is a major difference too. For cutubrute, the coconut is cubed into approximately quarter-inch cubes. Tableta, on the other hand, is more of a coconut fudge or soft candy, which is usually made by cooking coconut milk with sugar until it thickens, then cooling it to form a soft, chewy treat. The coconut for tableta is shredded rather than cubed.
What is Tableta?
Tableta is a traditional Belizean coconut treat that resembles a soft, chewy fudge. It is made from condensed coconut milk and sugar, cooked together until thick and caramelized, then poured into molds or a tray to set. Unlike Cutubrute, which has a brittle texture, Tableta is known for its soft and chewy consistency often enjoyed as a sweet snack or dessert. Bimecacule is another Belizean coconut sweet in the same family.
What is Stretch Mi Guts?
“Stretch Mi Guts” is another Belizean delicacy, colloquially named for its sweet, satisfying nature that makes one want to eat more and more. It is a candy made from grated coconut and ginger, similar to Cutubrute, but often has a softer, more taffy-like texture. The name humorously refers to the candy’s addictive quality and the temptation to overindulge.
Why is coconut part of so many Belizean food recipes?
Coconut is a staple ingredient in Belizean cuisine due to the country’s abundant coconut trees and the versatile nature of coconuts. It is used in both sweet and savory dishes, providing a rich, tropical flavor that enhances the food. Coconuts are highly nutritious, offering essential fats, minerals, and vitamins. Their availability, combined with their nutritional value and flavor profile, makes coconuts an integral part of the Belizean diet, reflecting the cultural and culinary heritage of the region.
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About Joe Post
Joe Post is the founder and editor of Belize News Post. He grew up in Corozal Town, Belize, on the Caribbean sea with a view across Corozal Bay to Cerro Maya. He has lived in Costa Rica, Kenya, England, Spain, and the United States. He grew up cooking alongside his mother and grandmother, and has personally tested the vast majority of the recipes on this site. He started BNP in the early 2000s as one of the few independent Belizean news sources online. Over the years, the food became the stickiest thing. News comes and goes. Food stays.
