Source: Marina Aguiar
A country with vibrancy and colors, Brazil offers a lot in terms of cuisine. Desserts, sweets, and candies of Brazil highlight the local ingredients and produces. Most of these desserts have originated in Portugal or have been introduced by the African slaves during the colonial era. From aspiring chefs to backpackers, everyone can indulge in the street sweets and ethnic desserts for a gastronomic delight.
1. Brigadeiro
Source: Rodrigo Senna
If you are in Brazil, you cannot give Brigadeiro a miss. It is a soft chocolate delicacy present in all celebrations since 1940. Made with condensed milk and cocoa, this dessert is easy to make but hard to perfect. Often considered as the national truffle of Brazil, a trip to country isn’t complete without a bite of it.
2. Bolo de Rolo
Source: Guilherme jofili
Another favorite from the Northeast Coast of the country, Bolo de Rolo is a type of guava rolled cake. It is made with thin layers of batter rolled into layers of guava, and can be a challenge to make. The task is to make the layers thin and have a higher number of layers. It is widely available and is a great choice to take home for friends and family.
3. Mousse de Maracuja
Source: Adriano Makoto Suzuki
Love passion fruits? If yes, then mousse de maracuja or passion fruit mousse is the best choice for you in Brazil. Elegant and delicious, this creamy mousse of maracuja is one of the best desserts in Brazil. The texture is light and the freshness of the passion fruits add a zing to the dish. It is fairly easy to make and is a top choice for homemakers.
4. Bolo de Cenoura
Source: Pixabay
These are Brazilian carrot cake with chocolate topping. The perfect Bolo de Cenoura is moist, less sweet and centrally focused on carrots. Unlike American Carrot cakes, the Brazilian version only uses the carrot for the sponge and flavor. It is healthy as well as tasty, a top choice for kids.
5. Canjica
Source: Leo Rey
Canjica is a sweet dish built around the white variety of corn ‘canjica’, one of the cultivated cereals in Brazil. The dessert is a porridge with coconut milk, canjica, sugar, and cinnamon. Nuts and fruits can be added to enhance the flavor. One of the authentic Brazilian delicacies , it was first created by the Brazilian slaves during colonial rule. It is served in Festa Junias, a festival celebrated in the month of June in Brazil.
6. Pe de moleque
Source: Wikimedia
For people loving a crunch along with the sweetness, give a try to Pe de Moleque. These are toasted peanuts in sugar syrup hardened to form a crunchy candy, very similar to peanut brittle. This traditional dessert can also be made with honey instead of sugar to add depths of flavor. Another hot favorite for the festival of June.
7. Pacoca
Source: Wikimedia
A number of Brazilian sweets use peanuts as the primary ingredient, and pacoca is no exception. It is a candy made with ground peanuts, salt, and sugar. The original version uses cassava flour, but other varieties add corn or oats flour to the recipe. A little dry in texture, it is best suited with a cup of coffee.
8. Brazil Nut sponge cake with Baba de Moca
Now, that is one gorgeous dessert! A Brazilian nut sponge cake with a Baba de moca filling. Essentially, baba de moca is an egg coconut custard cream having a smooth texture and is not too sweet. The meringue on top of the cake adds flavor and enhances the look of the dish. We can’t wait to dig in!
9. Tapioca Pancakes
Source: Rosanetur
Simple crepe-like pancakes made with tapioca(manioc) flour is another dessert to try in Brazil. Light and crisp, these pancakes are a very popular street food and is also gluten free. Super healthy! You can have different fillings with these pancakes – cheese, coconut, condensed milk, guava, chocolate and lots more.
10. Nega Maluca
Source: Aline Rebelo
A chocolate cake with a Brazilian twist, that’s nega maluca for you. Nothing can go wrong with a little bit of chocolate, and this not-overly-sweet cake is perfect for Easter or celebrations with family. It is more of a savory dessert that can be had with coffee or even alcohol.
11. Bem Casado
Source: Patricia Figueira
If you are getting married in Brazil, we just found the perfect wedding favor for you. Bem Casado or ‘happily married’ is a must have for any wedding in Brazil. These are two sponge cakes with delicious fillings – jam, cream, curd, and chocolate. Wrapped in shiny gift wrappers, it is a traditional dessert signifying a happy married life.
12. Cartola
Cartola is a Brazilian dessert meaning ‘top hat bananas’. From restaurants to family dinners, cartola is one of the top choices almost every occasion in Brazil. The bananas are lightly sauteed in butter to crisp up and caramelize and is served with cheese. It is a simple and nutritious dessert, easy and quick to make.
13. Quindim
Source: Wikimedia
Quindim is a baked dessert of Brazil made from coconut, sugar and egg yolks. It is essentially a yellow custard shaped like an upturned half-sphere with a glossy surface. The dessert has a smooth texture and may also have a hole in the center. This Brazilian delicacy is sweet, syrupy and a household favorite.
14. Bolinho de Chuva
Bolindo de chuva means little rain cakes. Tasty? Check! Crispy? Check! Authentic? Check! Ticking all the right boxes, this sweet and crunchy dessert is shaped like raindrops and very easy to cook. Made with milk, flour, baking soda, eggs these are Brazilian doughnuts with flavors of cinnamon.
15. Beijinho
A birthday party is Brazil never happens without biting this Brazilian sweet candy. Beijinho de coco or ‘little coconut kisses’ are made with coconut, condensed milk, and sugar. It is hard and crunchy on the outside, and the inside is a soft coconut filling. The ball-shaped candy is topped with a clove to finish the look.
A vacation in Brazil is never complete without trying their authentic sweets and desserts. And if you have a sweet tooth, it is the perfect place to devour in the guilty pleasures. So, add them to your bucket list and enjoy a ‘sweet’ holiday.
Have a good trip and travel!
