Gooey Coco-Crunchies

Ingredients: rice flour (may contained wheat), sugar, coconut milk, and jasmine scented water

Allure, Aleurier, or "อาลัว" is a traditional Thai dessert that has a long history that primarily consists of rice flour, sugar, and coconut milk, jasmine flower water, which are mixed together. Allure can be colored according to preference. Once the mixture is ready, it is shaped, molded, or placed in molds, and then dried in the sun (works really well in Thailand since we have 3 seasons: hot, hotter, and hottest) or baked to achieve a slightly crispy texture on the outside while remaining soft on the inside.

James’ Lazy Version

The familiar appearance of Allure is often small, round pieces, sometimes shaped by hand in a traditional manner. In recent times, under the supervision of the royal kitchen of the late King Rama IX, there have been significant improvements in the visual appeal of Allure. These enhancements include crafting them into intricate flower and other traditional Thai art forms, incorporating a variety of colors. This is achieved through the use of hand-carved wooden molds, and more recently, silicone molds, to create stunning shapes.

Traditional allures

I remember when I was growing up, we always had hundreds of Allures stored in a glass jar in the hallway. You can probably imagine what would happen when kids were left unsupervised with candy around.

It is said that Maria Guyomar de Pinha or Thao Thong Kip Maa in Thai dialect may have invented this type of dessert. As for the name of the dessert, there are speculations that it has two possible origins. It might have come from the English word "Allure," which means to inspire or tantalize, and it is a word from the late Middle English period. Alternatively, it could be derived from the French word "aleurier." Both languages were spoken fluently by Maria, especially the latter.

Maria was born in Ayutthaya, our former capital, around 1664 during the reign of King Narai. Her father, known as Fanique or Phanick, was a Mestiço of mixed Portuguese-Bengali-Japanese heritage, described as "half-black, half-Bengali, half-Japanese," and a devout Catholic with limited means. Her mother, Ursula Yamada, was a Japanese Christian whose ancestors had relocated to Siam after the suppression of Christianity in Japan. Some accounts suggest that Ursula may not have been a faithful wife, and Maria, who had a light complexion, may have had a different father.

Modern allures invented by the court of King Rama IX

Maria was raised as a Catholic. In 1682, she married Constantine Phaulkon (Costantin Gerachi), a Greek, who converted to Catholicism from Anglicanism so he could marry her. They had two sons. During the period of improved relations between France and the Siamese court which her husband brokerage as leverage against the English and the Dutch, Maria and her husband were promised French protection and were ennobled as a countess of France. However, her husband was playing both the roles of the Siamese King and the French King. He promised Louis XIV of France that the Thai King would convert to Catholicism, while also assuring the Thai King of an uncomplicated relationship with France.

Eventually, in 1688 Siamese revolution, after her husband's execution, Maria sought refuge with the French troops in Bangkok (which was just a remote fort guarding the mouth of the river at the time) with the assistance of a French. Regrettably, under pressure from the new ruler, King Phetracha, the French fort's commander, General Desfarges, returned her to the Siamese in exchange for hostages.

Maria’s inventions: (from top to bottom) Foi Thong, Thong Yip, Met Khanoon, Thong Yord, Met Khanoon Pherg; Golden Thread, Golden Pleat, Jackfruit Seed, Golden Drop, Jackfruit Seed with taro stuffing

Despite earlier promises of her safety, Maria had none. She was fortunate enough to find work in the Royal kitchen, but for a considerable period, she had no place to call home and had to resort to sleeping in the kitchen. Nevertheless, after the reign of King Phetracha (who was probably upset because she refused to be his concubine) she eventually rose to become the head of the royal kitchen staff. Despite her hardship, Maria’s passion for incorporating local Siamese ingredients to her traditional Portuguese desserts never ceased. Original Thai desserts primarily featured flour, sugar or palm sugar, and coconut as their main ingredients. Maria is credited with introducing elements such as egg or yolk, refined sugar, mung bean starch, cassava starch, and nuts into her desserts.

In her later years, Maria, continued to pursue the French East India Company to recover money her husband had lent to the company. Her efforts were successful in 1717 through a decree from the Council of State in France, which granted her a maintenance allowance. Maria passed away in 1728.