The sunshine state of Goa is home to a number of sweet treats — serradura, dodol, Bolo De Rulao and bebinca to name a few. And yet it’s only the latter that’s commonly hailed as the Queen of Goan desserts, so much so that its Chief Minister Pramod Sawant recently announced that his government would push for a geographical indication (GI) tag for the multilayered confection. Goan chef Gracian de Souza, who spent many summers at his grandparents’ Thivim home feasting on bebinca, points out that the dessert is quintessentially Goan. “Growing up there, we’d never get it at supermarkets like you do now. It was either made in the family or by local aunties. What makes it the Queen of Goan desserts is the sheer intricacy involved in baking it, much like the recheado,” he reasons.

Fernandes bakes bebincakes for special occasions