flipPaçoca de amendoim — the treat of the June festivals
Paçoca de amendoim — the treat of the June festivals
Why this dish? The June festivals (festas juninas) mark Brazilian childhood, and paçoca — a compact peanut candy that keeps well and slips into a pocket — is the queen of these treats. A sweet without animal products, in line with Astrud's convictions, easy to take on the road like on tour.
A small, crumbly, melt-in-the-mouth bar made from ground roasted peanuts with manioc flour and sugar, pressed into bites. Dry, sweet, energy-dense — it keeps for days and travels without worry.
In June, when the festas came, we would make paçoca for the whole week. We roast the amendoins, we pound them with a little farinha and sugar, and we press hard, hard, so the bite holds together. It keeps in a box on the shelf, it goes into your pocket for the journey — handy for someone who sings from town to town like me. Only one rule: don't talk with your mouth full, it crumbles!
- •Roasted peanuts (amendoim) — two bowls (base)
- •Manioc flour (farinha de mandioca) — half a bowl (dry binder)
- •Sugar — to taste (sweetness)
- •Salt — a pinch (enhancer)
Paçoca de amendoim — the treat of the June festivals
A small, crumbly, melt-in-the-mouth bar made from ground roasted peanuts with manioc flour and sugar, pressed into bites. Dry, sweet, energy-dense — it keeps for days and travels without worry.
Why this dish? The June festivals (festas juninas) mark Brazilian childhood, and paçoca — a compact peanut candy that keeps well and slips into a pocket — is the queen of these treats. A sweet without animal products, in line with Astrud's convictions, easy to take on the road like on tour.
In June, when the festas came, we would make paçoca for the whole week. We roast the amendoins, we pound them with a little farinha and sugar, and we press hard, hard, so the bite holds together. It keeps in a box on the shelf, it goes into your pocket for the journey — handy for someone who sings from town to town like me. Only one rule: don't talk with your mouth full, it crumbles!
Ingredients (period version)
- Roasted peanuts (amendoim) — two bowls (base)
- Manioc flour (farinha de mandioca) — half a bowl (dry binder)
- Sugar — to taste (sweetness)
- Salt — a pinch (enhancer)
Ingredients
- Unsalted roasted peanuts — 200 g (base)
- Fine manioc flour (or very fine breadcrumbs) — 60 g (dry binder)
- Sugar — 80 g (sweetness)
- Salt — 1 pinch (enhancer)
Method
- If the peanuts are not already roasted, toast them for 8 minutes in a pan or oven, then let cool slightly and remove the skins.
- Pulse the peanuts in a food processor with the sugar, manioc flour, and salt until you get a powder that starts to clump between your fingers (do not overprocess into butter).
- Press the mixture firmly into small molds or a frame, or form rectangular bites by hand, pressing well.
- Let rest for 30 minutes so the bars hold together, then unmold. Store in an airtight container.
How it was made : Paçoca de amendoim is a typical sweet of Brazil's festas juninas. Peanuts, a plant native to South America, are here pounded in a mortar (the word comes from Tupi pa'soka, 'to crush') with manioc flour and sugar — a dry, durable preparation, heir to indigenous and popular preservation techniques.
The contemporary twist : Cut into small uniform dominoes and roll them in a little toasted manioc flour for a matte, clean finish.
Sources : Luís da Câmara Cascudo, História da Alimentação no Brasil
Astrud Gilberto · Charactorium
