Canjica — Brazilian sweet hominy with coconut
Canjica is a Brazilian sweet porridge of cooked dried white hominy corn, cooked with coconut milk, sweetened condensed milk, cinnamon and sugar. It is the canonical June Festival (Festa Junina) dessert across Brazil, eaten warm in the cooler southern winter months.
i. Origin & history
Canjica reflects the deep Brazilian inheritance of African slave-trade corn cooking and indigenous Brazilian corn traditions. It is particularly associated with the rural northeast.
ii. Ingredients
Makes 8 servings · scroll the side panel to adjust
- 300 g dried white hominy (canjica corn), soaked overnight
- 1½ litres water
- 400 ml coconut milk
- 400 g sweetened condensed milk
- 150 g sugar
- 1 cinnamon stick
- Pinch salt
- 2 tbsp shredded coconut
- Ground cinnamon to dust
iii. Method
- Drain soaked corn. Cook in fresh water with cinnamon stick 90 min until tender. Top up water as needed.
- Stir in coconut milk, condensed milk, sugar and salt.
- Simmer 20 minutes more until thick and creamy.
- Serve warm in bowls. Top with shredded coconut and a dust of cinnamon.
iv. Tips & common mistakes
- Use the freshest ingredients you can. The recipe relies on them.
- Read the method through first. Several steps must be ready in advance.
- Season patiently. Sweetness and salt are tuned at the end, not the start.
v. Variations
Mungunzá is the same dish under a northeastern Brazilian name. Curau (Brazil) is the fresh-corn cousin. Chicha is the Andean drink ancestor. Modern canjica includes peanuts or other nuts.
vi. Common questions
What is canjica?
Canjica is brazilian sweet hominy with coconut, from latin american cuisine. It is the canonical June Festival (Festa Junina) dessert across Brazil, eaten warm in the cooler southern winter months
Where is canjica from?
Canjica is from the latin american dessert tradition; the recipe and history are detailed above.
How long does canjica keep?
See the storage note in the Quick facts panel: 4 days refrigerated.