Canjica is Brazil’s answer to rice pudding, made with white corn instead: dried kernels simmered in milk, coconut milk and condensed milk with cinnamon and cloves until sweet, creamy and impossibly comforting.
It is the star of Festas Juninas, the beloved June festivals of Brazil, but truthfully it gets made year-round — especially on chilly evenings when only a warm bowl of something sweet will do.
It is also wonderfully easy: soak the corn overnight, cook it until tender, and let it finish in the spiced milk bath. Top it with cinnamon, shredded coconut or crushed peanuts and serve it warm.
Canjica Recipe
Prep time: 20 minutes (plus overnight soaking) · Cook time: 1 hour · Total: about 1 hour 20 minutes active · Servings: 4 · Calories: ~318 per serving
Ingredients
- 1 pound canjica corn (dried white hominy corn — look for it at Latin markets)
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 quart milk
- 1 small bottle or can (about 7 oz) coconut milk
- Cinnamon sticks
- Whole cloves
- Ground cinnamon, for serving
Instructions
- Rinse the canjica corn thoroughly and soak it overnight in a large bowl of water.
- The next day, drain the corn and cook it in a pressure cooker with 2 quarts of fresh water for about 40 minutes, until tender.
- In a saucepan, combine the milk, condensed milk, coconut milk, cinnamon sticks and cloves, and bring to a boil over medium heat.
- Pour the hot milk mixture over the cooked corn and stir to combine.
- Cook for another 20 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally so it does not stick.
- Serve hot, dusted with ground cinnamon.
Recipe Notes
- Do not confuse canjica with curau — curau is made from grated fresh green corn; canjica uses dried kernels. Both are delicious.
- Shredded coconut, crushed peanuts or a pinch of nutmeg are classic additions.
- Almond or soy milk can replace the dairy, and you can reduce the condensed milk for a less sweet version.
- No pressure cooker? Simmer the soaked corn in a regular pot — it will take about 1½ to 2 hours.
