Culture & context
About this dish
Gizzada is also called pinch-me-round for its hand-pinched rim. Its coconut filling and pastry form reflect Jamaica’s layered culinary history, including Portuguese-Jewish influence.
Did you know? Gizzada is also called pinch-me-round because its raised pastry rim is formed by repeated hand pinches around the shell.
Food-safety note
Hot sugar filling can burn. Let it cool before filling shells and let baked gizzadas cool before serving.
Equipment needed
- Mixing bowls
- Pastry cutter or two knives
- Rolling pin
- Round cutter
- Muffin tin or flat baking tray
- Medium saucepan
- Wooden spoon
- Fork and cooling rack
Ingredients
- 300 g (2½ cups) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 170 g (¾ cup) cold butter, cubed
- 90–120 ml (6–8 tablespoons) ice water
- 300 g (3 cups) freshly grated coconut
- 200 g (1 cup) brown sugar
- 125 ml (½ cup) water
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon butter for filling
Before the heat
Preparation steps
- Keep the pastry cold Cube the butter and chill the mixed dough before rolling so the shells bake crisp.
- Cook and cool the filling Reduce the coconut filling until sticky, then cool it fully before it touches the pastry.
- Practise the rim Pinch one test circle around the edge before shaping the full batch.
At the stove
Cooking instructions
- Make pastryMix flour, salt and sugar; cut in cold butter. Add ice water just until dough forms. Chill 30 minutes.
- Cook fillingSimmer coconut, brown sugar, water, ginger and nutmeg 12–15 minutes until sticky but not dry. Stir in vanilla and butter; cool.
- Shape shellsRoll pastry thin, cut 12 circles and pinch each edge repeatedly to form the traditional raised rim.
- Blind-bakePlace shells in a muffin tin or on a tray, prick bases and bake at 180°C / 350°F for 10 minutes.
- Fill and finishDivide filling among shells and bake 15–18 minutes more. Cool before eating.
Working timeline
- 0:00–15 minutes: Make the pastry dough
- 15–45 minutes: Chill the dough while cooking and cooling the filling
- 45–65 minutes: Roll, cut and pinch the shells
- 65–75 minutes: Blind-bake
- 75–95 minutes: Fill, finish baking and cool
Chef’s tips
- Use only enough ice water to bring the pastry together; a wet dough shrinks and toughens.
- The filling should be moist and sticky but not surrounded by loose syrup.
- Prick the shell bases and blind-bake briefly so the coconut does not leave them soggy.
Common mistakes
- Filling warm pastry with hot coconut mixture and melting the butter in the crust.
- Cooking the coconut filling until dry and crumbly instead of glossy and cohesive.
- Rolling the pastry too thick, which overwhelms the filling and bakes unevenly.
What to serve with it
- Tea
- Coffee
- Fresh fruit
Storage & reheating
Store airtight at room temperature 2 days or refrigerate up to 5 days. Recrisp briefly in a low oven.
Recipe sources
References consulted for this recipe:
Editorial note
Reviewed for Jamaican context by James Dunn, LimeGrid founder — Jamaica.