Sweets
Alfenim is a white paste made only of sugar, water and a dash of vinegar, pulled by hand until it turns white and elastic and then shaped, still warm, into small figures. It is thought to be of Moorish origin, its name comes from Arabic, and the tradition has survived mainly on Terceira and Graciosa.
Alfenim figures, such as doves, Holy Spirit crowns, flowers or parts of the human body, are offered in fulfilment of vows to the Holy Spirit and to various saints. They were also a prestigious gift and a fixture on wedding tables.
Method
Butter a metal bowl, traditionally copper, and set it inside a larger basin of cold water.
Heat the sugar with the water and vinegar and let it boil without stirring.
To check whether the syrup is ready, drop a little into a cup of cold water: it should make a faint click as it hits the bottom and come out hard.
Pour the syrup straight into the buttered bowl without stirring and let it run and spread.
As it cools, fold the edges into the centre with the tip of a knife until the paste is cool enough to pick up.
With buttered hands, stretch the paste, fold it and stretch it again several times, like a skein of yarn, until it is white, opaque and elastic.
Cut the paste into portions with scissors and shape the figures while it is still warm.
Leave the figures to harden somewhere dry before storing them.
Tips
- Make alfenim on a dry day: humidity makes the paste sticky and softens the figures.
- The syrup burns: butter your hands and only handle the paste once the edges can be touched. Thin, clean, buttered kitchen gloves help.
- Work in small portions and keep the rest of the paste by the door of a warm oven so it does not harden before shaping.
- Store the figures somewhere cool and dry, wrapped in baking paper or cellophane.
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