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Cornmeal Porridge With Coconut Milk (Canjica)

Posted on by John Reynolds

blue bowl of cornmeal porridge topped with cinnamon sticks

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Corn dishes are extremely popular in Brazil, especially in sweet favorites like curao de milho, cornmeal cake, and pamonhas. Today’s recipe is another sweet treat featuring corn: cornmeal porridge with coconut milk and, of course, sweetened condensed milk. Infused with warming spices, it is the perfect comfort dish on a cold winter morning. 

Do Brazilians Eat Cornmeal Porridge for Breakfast?

Generally speaking, breakfast in Brazil is a light meal with milky coffee and a little starch, like a buttered roll or slice of baguette. While porridge is generally consumed in the States as a breakfast item, this creamy cornmeal version is more often eaten as a dessert or snack during the Festas Juninas in Brazil. 

The Festas Juninas take place shortly after the country’s second harvest of sweet corn. They honor St. John the Baptist and are meant to celebrate the harvest, with plenty of corn dishes for sale. It is, after all, winter in the Southern Hemisphere, so warm, comforting dishes are in order. As a cheap and plentiful crop, you’ll find corn just about everywhere: popcorn, roasted corn on the cob, sweet corn pudding, cornmeal cakes, and even on top of hot dogs. 

Where Does Cornmeal Porridge Come From?

Cornmeal porridge is called “canjica” in Portuguese. Like many dishes, it likely arrived with slaves from West Africa. The Bantu languages have similar words to describe dishes made from ground corn. 

From Portuguese, “canjica” also refers to hominy, which is dried corn kernels that have been soaked in an alkali solution (sometimes lye). Traditional Brazilian recipes for canjica often call for canned or dried hominy in place of cornmeal. This is certainly an option, but we like the cornmeal for simplicity and speed.

Toppings for Cornmeal Porridge?

This canjica is already infused with lovely spices and vanilla, as well as that sweet shredded coconut. It really doesn’t need much on top, except another dash of cinnamon and a few coconut flakes. That being said, you can kick it up a notch with a few toppings that pair well with the other flavors:

  • Fruit: bananas, peaches, and apples work especially well with the cinnamon and coconut
  • Cream: a splash of heavy whipping cream never goes amiss with a good bowl of porridge
  • Roasted peanuts: many Brazilians like to top their canjica with some chopped roasted peanuts for added crunch and flavor
  • Shaved chocolate: why not? Chocolate is always welcome, and with the cinnamon, the taste would be reminiscent of a lovely Mexican hot chocolate. 

Cornmeal Pudding Recipe 

Ingredients:

1 cup cornmeal
2 cups water
1 can (13.5 oz) coconut milk
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup condensed milk
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt (optional, to taste)
Additional condensed milk or brown sugar for sweetening (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Prepare the Cornmeal Mixture: in a bowl, mix the cornmeal with 1 cup of water until it forms a smooth paste.
  2. Cook the Cornmeal Mixture: in a pot, bring the remaining 1 cup of water to a boil. Once boiling, gradually add the cornmeal mixture to the pot while stirring continuously to prevent lumps from forming.
  3. Add Coconut Milk and Shredded Coconut: lower the heat to medium and stir in the coconut milk and shredded coconut. Let the mixture simmer gently for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens to your desired consistency.
  4. Add Condensed Milk and Spices: pour in the condensed milk and stir well to combine. Add the ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt if desired. Continue to simmer for an additional 5 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld together.
  5. Adjust Consistency and Sweetness: if the porridge is too thick, you can add more water or coconut milk to reach your desired consistency. Taste and adjust sweetness by adding more condensed milk or brown sugar, if needed.
  6. Serve: once the porridge reaches your preferred consistency and sweetness, remove it from the heat. Serve warm in bowls, garnished with a sprinkle of ground cinnamon or shredded coconut on top if desired.

Enjoy!

 

Hot Chocolate with Condensed Milk

Posted on by John Reynolds

Brazilian Chocolate Quente Cremoso

white mug of hot chocolate

The winter months are in full swing here in the northern hemisphere, which means many of us are scrambling to stay warm or just pass the time on these short days. A cup of something cheerful seems in order, and there is nothing cozier (or more decadent) than a mug of steaming hot chocolate. It’s just the thing when you’re curled up with a good book, watching your favorite show, or just enjoying the winter scenery through your window. Of course, today we are offering a Brazilian spin on this classic beverage: hot chocolate with condensed milk–a must have ingredient for virtually anything sweet in Brazil. 

Is Hot Chocolate with Condensed Milk Thick?

Well, yes. Hot chocolate with condensed milk will naturally be thicker than if you had made it with just milk. It is still perfectly sippable and, in our opinion, that extra thickness only lends to the velvety texture and rich taste. 

That being said, if you prefer your hot chocolate a little thinner, you can always lessen the amount of condensed milk that you use. Much of the sweetness in this recipe is derived from the condensed milk, however, so you may need to add a little sugar or more semisweet chocolate to make up for it. 

Hot Chocolate vs Hot Cocoa?

Although the terms are often used interchangeably, hot chocolate and hot cocoa are not the same thing. Both use a base of milk or sometimes water, but hot chocolate uses melted chocolate morsels or chopped bars, and hot cocoa uses cocoa powder. 

This recipe for hot chocolate with condensed milk is, technically, a hybrid. We are using both bittersweet chocolate bits and a little cocoa powder. In our opinion, the blend reins in the texture and keeps the taste from being too cloying. 

Can You Use Water in Hot Chocolate with Condensed Milk?

Sure. You can replace the whole milk in this recipe with water if you want a healthier option. But then again, it’s hot chocolate–it’s meant to be indulgent! We strongly suggest going no leaner than 2% milk in this recipe. Water simply doesn’t have the same creamy, slightly sweet profile as milk. 

What Spices/Toppings for Hot Chocolate?

You don’t need to add anything to this recipe, but if you want to spice up your hot chocolate with condensed milk, there are plenty of options. A dash of cinnamon never goes amiss. You could also add a smidge of peppermint extract or even orange, if you like that combo. Have fun with it. Some other fun toppings and additions might include:

  • Whipped cream
  • Crushed candy canes/peppermint
  • Chocolate sprinkles
  • Mini marshmallows or a dollop of marshmallow cream
  • Peppermint schnapps for the adults
  • Bailey’s or other coffee liqueur 
  • A splash of spiced rum or aged cachaca

Recipe for Creamy Hot Chocolate with Condensed Milk 

Ingredients:

4 cups whole milk
14 oz sweetened condensed milk (one can)
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
4.5 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped or in morsels
½ tsp Vanilla extract

Directions:

  1. In a large saucepan, heat the milk and sweetened condensed milk over medium heat. When it begins to slowly simmer, stir in the cocoa powder. Next, add in the chocolate a little bit at the time, stirring in between each addition to allow it to melt. 
  2. Continue stirring the mixture over medium heat until all of the chocolate has melted and you have a smooth, creamy mixture. 
  3. Remove your Brazilian hot chocolate from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. 
  4. Serve hot in mugs with your favorite toppings and garnish. 

More Great Brazilian Recipes to Try

Brazilian Pumpkin Spice Preserves (Doce de Abobora)

Posted on by John Reynolds

pumpkin preserves on a cheese board with toast

It’s that time of year when many of us start thinking about Autumn. After a long, hot summer, we might find ourselves daydreaming about cooler temperatures, changing leaves, and comfort food. In America, Fall is also the season of all things pumpkin spice. Breads, lattes, soups, candles–whatever you can think of, there is probably a pumpkin version. Which brings me to today’s unusual recipe: pumpkin spice preserves. 

Although Brazilians may not be quite as enthusiastic as Americans are about pumpkins, they do enjoy eating them in a variety of recipes. One dish that is not as common here in the States is a kind of pumpkin preserve called “doce de abobora.” This translates to “pumpkin sweet,” which is an accurate description of this syrupy spread. 

Brazilian pumpkin preserves also incorporate fresh, shredded coconut for more texture and sweetness. Warming spices like cinnamon and cloves are added for that quintessential pumpkin pie flavor. 

Preserves vs Jam

A jam is made using fruit that has been uniformly blended prior to cooking. This results in a smooth, spreadable consistency. Preserves are made with whole or large chunks of fruit, similar to a compote or a chutney. Because we will be using cubed pumpkin and shredded coconut, our recipe falls more under the preserves category. 

If you want, you could try adding a little orange or lemon zest to your preserves for more of a marmalade taste. 

What Do You Eat With Brazilian Pumpkin Preserves?

You will find that your doce de abobora pairs well with lots of things, both sweet and savory. It is, on its own, very sugary, so it does particularly well on a cheese board or on crusty french bread. That being said, don’t be afraid to double down on the sweetness. These preserves taste amazing, for example, on top of vanilla ice cream or french toast. 

Can I Use Butternut Squash Instead of Pumpkin?

Yes. As with most recipes, you can use butternut squash in place of pumpkin. The taste and texture will be nearly identical. Only the color will vary slightly. 

Can I Use Other Spices in My Pumpkin Spice Preserves?

Of course! Our recipe uses cloves and cinnamon, but feel free to add a little nutmeg, ground ginger, star anise, allspice, or even a little cayenne for some heat. 

Can I Use Canned Pumpkin for Pumpkin Preserves?

For preserves, you need large pieces of the pumpkin fruit. Canned pumpkin is typically pureed, so it won’t work well in this recipe. However, you can certainly use frozen pumpkin or butternut squash that has been pre-peeled and cut into chunks. 

Brazilian Pumpkin Spice Preserves (Doce de Abobora)

Yield: about 3 cups

Ingredients:

1 pie /sugar pumpkin, cut into ½  inch cubes
3 cinnamon sticks
5-6 whole cloves
1 cup shredded coconut (sweet or unsweet)
1.5 cups sugar

Directions:

  1. Combine all your ingredients except for the coconut in a large saucepan and heat over medium high. 
  2. When the pumpkin begins releasing some of its liquid and the sugar is melting, reduce the heat to low.
  3. Cover the pumpkin mixture and simmer for 30 minutes.
  4. Add in the coconut and cook for another fifteen minutes, until the pumpkin is very soft. 
  5. Give the mixture a rough mash with the back of a fork and stir to combine evenly. 
  6. Pour your pumpkin spice preserves into sterile jars for storing. If you are not using a sterile canning method, keep your preserves in the refrigerator for up to one week. 

More Great Fall Recipes to Try from Brazil:

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