Torta de Banana
(Banana Pie)

This is one of my favorite desserts. But I must warn you that it is very sweet. Brazilians DO love their sweets...I also love the consistency of the not-so-ripe fried bananas at the bottom. I buy them when they are just turning yellow. Not green, but not ripe either.

4-5 bananas

6 egg yolks and whites separated

1 cup sugar

1 stick unsalted butter or margarine, melted

vegetable oil (Canola or any oil without a strong taste)

12 Tbsp of sugar (for the meringue)

Preheat oven to 300° F. Peel and halve the bananas. Fry them in a little Canola oil and arrange them at the bottom of a round Pyrex bowl. Mix the egg yolks with 1 cup of sugar, add melted butter and mix well. Pour over the bananas. To make the meringue, beat the egg whites until stiff. Slowly add 12 Tbsp of sugar. Turn mixture (but do not beat) for 15 minutes. Pour meringue over the bananas, or use a piping bag to squeeze it decoratively over the bananas. Cook in oven for 30 minutes. Serve warm. If you make it in the summer, serve it cool.

Sagu de Vinho
(Red Wine Tapioca Pudding)

I don't know if Americans can even begin to imagine this...but, yes, it's a very popular and yummy dessert. I used to love it when I was a kid because I could get positively tipsy just by having dessert...If you have any problems with that, make it with grape JUICE instead. It will be equally delicious. I just took a picture of a bowl of sagu de vinho in Monte Belo do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul. The family who served me this superb concoction told me that the best wine to make it is a Bordeaux. There you have it, I've shared the secret! Oh, they also add a few cloves and a bit of cinnamon to their sagu, as it cooks. To-die-for!

1 cup small tapioca

1 cup water to soak the tapioca

3 cups red grape juice OR

2 cups red wine mixed with 1 cup water

sugar to taste

Soak tapioca for about 1/2 hour. Add grape juice to tapioca (or the wine mixed with water and sugar to taste). Bring to boil over low heat stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Then let cook for about 1/2 hour (until tapioca is clear), stirring occasionally so it doesn't burn. Refrigerate. To serve, spoon into a small bowl and pour creme de leite (double the recipe from the passion fruit mousse recipe) over it.

Fresh Tapioca in the AmazonIf you want to know more about tapioca (even the word comes from Brazil), go to our page about mandioca or manioc. This is a bag of fresh tapioca we photographed in the Amazon. Not quite the perfect little balls that come in a box, right?

Try serving wine sagu atop cheese cake!

Queijadinha
(Fake Quindins)

Sorry about the "fake," but that's what my friend called them (falso quindim).

1 cup grated coconut

1 can sweetened condensed milk

2 Tbsp of sugar

2 Tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese

2 egg yolks

Mix all ingredients together and pour into greased mini-muffin tins. Bake in 350° F until golden brown on top (about 15 minutes). Let it cool a little and remove. Place in pretty paper cups.

Pudim de Leite Condensado
(Brazilian-Style Flan)
Pudim de leite condensado (Brazilian-Style Flan)

1 cup sugar (for the caramel)

1 can sweetened condensed milk

Equal volume of regular milk (use the can to measure)

3 eggs

1 8-inch ring mold

Place 1 to 2 inches of water in a roasting pan. Place the pan in the oven and preheat to 325°.

Put the sugar in the ring mold. Place the mold directly over medium heat. Keep turning the mold until the sugar melts into a golden brown caramel and spoon it up the sides of the mold. Be careful not to burn the sugar and yourself. I use an oven mitt to hold the mold in my left hand and a large spoon for the sugar in my right hand. This way I can keep turning the mold and spooning the sugar. Let the mold cool.

Combine the condensed milk, regular milk and eggs in a blender. Whip (I like to use the frappe button in my blender) until smooth. Pour this mixture into the mold and place it in the center of the roasting pan with water. Bake the pudim for about 1 hour. It will turn golden brown on top and start separating from the sides of the mold. Let it cool to room temperature and place in refrigerator, preferably overnight (at least 6 hours).

Just before serving, run the tip of a knife around the inside of the mold. Place a deep platter over the mold and invert: the pudim should slide out easily. If not, give the mold a firm but careful shake. Spoon the caramel sauce on top and serve. Serves about 10. Totally yummy!

Mousse de Maracujá
(Passion Fruit Mousse)


There are a lot of different ways of making passion fruit mousse, including the recipe that uses the fresh fruit. Well, the fruit is not readily available in the U.S., so I started making it with frozen passion fruit pulp from Venezuela which I can find in Latino markets. It's very good and I also use it for batida de maracujá. Take it out of the freezer and let it thaw before you use it. Or you can buy passion fruit juice ("suco de maracujá") from Brazil.

1 can sweetened condensed milk

same measure of passion fruit juice

3 egg whites

1 envelope of unflavored gelatin

Blend condensed milk and passion fruit juice. Dissolve gelatin in a cup of water (sprinkle it on water, stir and let it stand for a minute). Beat egg whites until stiff and fold into mixture. Add gelatin. Wet a ring mold and pour the mousse into it. Refrigerate for 6 hours. Unmold and serve with a crème anglaise. Here's the Brazilian version of it. It's a perfect combination of colors and flavors because the mousse will be on the tart side.
Creme de leite  

2 cups of milk

4 egg yolks (the three left from the mousse plus one)

1 cup of sugar

6 whole cloves

Dissolve sugar well in milk. Beat egg yolks slightly with a whisk - or in a pinch with a fork - and add to milk and sugar mixture. Strain the mixture and cook over low heat stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until it starts to simmer. DO NOT let it boil, it will curdle on you! Refrigerate. To serve, put a slice of mousse on a plate and spoon the creme de leite on top. Use the cloves to decorate the plates. Make sure your guests don't eat them! Great summer dessert.

Doce de Banana
(Bananas in Syrup)

This is one of my favorite Brazilian desserts!

5 large bananas, firm, just turning yellow

2 cups water

1 cup sugar

1 stick cinnamon

10 cloves, whole

In a heavy saucepan, dissolve sugar well in water. Peel and cut bananas in rounds, about 1 inch, and add to the pan. Add cinnamon and cloves. Cook for two hours in low heat, stirring occasionally. If necessary, add more water; don't let it dry out, you want to end up with a nice syrup. Bananas will turn a reddish color. Let cool and serve.

Cocadas
(Coconut Desserts)
Traditional Cocada

1 lb grated coconut

1 lb sugar

1 cup water

Dissolve sugar in water and boil the mixture until it spins a thread (I use a candy thermometer; 232 to 234° F). Remove syrup from heat and add the grated coconut. Stir well until it becomes sugary. Pour onto a buttered platter (a marble pizza stone is great for that purpose) and let cool, then cut into squares (about two inches). Pictured above are three different types of cocadas: the ones on the left are made with condensed milk (see recipe below), the dark ones are chocolate cocadas, and the ones on the right are made with passion fruit.


Cocada Queimada

Also known as cocada puxa-puxa, this one is my favorites. I had the one on the left in Rio and bought a cup of the one on the right on the street in Salvador, Bahia. They were both fabulous.

1 lb grated coconut

1 cup water

1 lb dark brown sugar

1 stick cinnamon

4 or 5 whole cloves

Prepare a thin syrup by dissolving brown sugar in the water with cinnamon and cloves over medium heat. Add coconut and cook over low heat until it thickens. Remove to a glass bowl and let cool to serve.

In Brazil, it is estimated that the annual consumption exceeds 100 million coconuts. The meat of the coconut is good for the stomach and the intestines due to the amount of fiber.

A coconut tree will live approximately 60 years and generates an average bunch of about 15 coconuts each month. The coconut trees reach an average of 10-30 meters in height, depending on the variety of coconut.

The word also means a coconut rollick of Northeastern folklore, song and dance in syncopate in double and in circles.

In Brazil, the use of coconut milk in food is a cultural heritage left by the slaves who came from Mozambique.

In Timor, the coconut water is a liquid sacred used to bless the crops of corn. In World War II the coconut water was injected as an IV in soldiers who had severe dehydration. It has composition similar to that of plasma. The coconut water can sometimes be used as saline (only in cases of extreme need).

The coconut has been the basis of the diet of the inhabitants of the islands of the South Pacific for hundreds of years. There the coconut palm tree is known as the tree of life. In some communities, representing 50 to 60% of daily calories ingested.

For those who believe in counting calories, it is surprising that the coconut water contains low-calorie : a glass of 8 oz has 45 ca lories. The meat or flesh of fruit (inner white part) has the high caloric content. A piece of 1 ounces of coconut equals approximately 100 calories.

1.  Glaze on vegetables
2. Glaze on meats such as ham and pork chops Pepper Jelly on Crackers Appetizer
3. Glaze on chicken wings - see our Datil Pepper Chicken Wings recipe
4. Glaze on fish such as salmon, shark steaks and swordfish
5. Topping for cheese and crackers including goat cheese, smoked cheddar and brie as an appetizer
6. Mix pepper jelly with cream cheese for a dip
7. Use pepper jelly on or as a side dipping sauce for jalapeno poppers
8. Topping for ice cream
9. Used as a spread to compliment a sandwich or hamburger - see Pepper Jam Sandwich recipe and Barbecue Burger recipe.
10. On an egg, ham and cheese sandwich
11. Phyllo Pastry tarts Appetizer with pepper jelly - see recipe
12. Spread on turkey slices with goat cheese, roll-up, chill and serve as an appetizer
13. On a fried oyster or fried fish
14. On coconut crusted shrimp - see Coconut Crusted Shrimp with Pineapple-Cherry Habanero Pepper Jelly recipe
15. Mix with sour cream and use as a dip
16. On egg bagels with cream cheese
17. On cornbread
18. On popsicles
19. Topping on cheesecake or pound cake
20. With peanut butter on a cracker or toast Pepper Jelly Topping on Ice Cream
21. Topping on waffles or pancakes
22. Melt, mix with Italian dressing and use as a salad dressing
23. Brush pepper jelly on pineapple or watermelon (see our recipe Bacon Wrapped Shimp with Grilled Watermelon and Datil Pepper Glaze)and grill
24. On thumbprint cookies – see recipe
25. As a BBQ Sauce/Glaze on chicken and ribs
26. In margaritas
27. In coleslaw
28. In a sauce for mussels - see our recipe for Mussels with Raspberry Pepper Jelly Sauce
29. Mix with plain yogurt
30. Serve with a bread basket
31. Use as a dip for fried vegetables, such as fried zucchini and fried okra

1. Spicy PB & Jelly: Bring a little spicy style to a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

2. Spiked Monte Cristo: Mix equal parts mayo and pepper jelly, spread evenly over two slices of bread, layer smoky ham or turkey with Swiss or Gruyere cheese. Dip finished sandwich into lightly beaten eggs seasoned with salt and pepper, lightly brown in a buttered skillet, cut in half and enjoy.

3. Simple Stir-Fry: In a skillet, sauté chicken slices in canola oil, add a bag of frozen stir-fry veggies, season with teriyaki sauce and crushed red pepper and finish by swirling in pepper jelly until melted.

4. Glazed Honey-Drunken Salmon: Simply mix together bourbon liquor, honey, melted butter and pepper jelly until evenly incorporated. Spread over salmon, and cook until done.

5. Mediterranean Turkey Burgers: Mix together ground turkey, melted butter, dried sage and pepper jelly, season generously with salt and pepper, and throw on the grill.

6. Sweet and Sour Pork: Cube pork into 1/2-inch cubes, and brown in a skillet with oil. Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix together pineapple juice, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice and pepper jelly until smooth. Add mixture to a few minutes before removing pork from skillet, stir, simmer and serve.

7. Spiced-Up Vinaigrette: In the bottom of a large salad bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, grainy mustard and pepper jelly until emulsified. Add lettuce, tomato and other salad ingredients to bowl, and gently toss to coat.

8. Fish-n-Dip: Mix together equal parts horseradish sauce with pepper jelly; serve this dip alongside any deep-fried fish for a uniquely tangy and spicy bliss.

With additional writing by Ginna Mungiovi.

About the author: Andrea Lynn is senior editor for Chile Pepper magazine, where she not only creates a wide range of zesty recipes for readers, but also participates in numerous tastings for hot sauce, salsa, and other spice-laden products (even chocolate!). Her favorite chile? A tie between the mild yet flavorful poblano and the mighty, reliable fire of the serrano.