Curau — Brazilian sweet-corn pudding
Curau is a Brazilian dessert: fresh sweet corn blended with milk, sugar and cinnamon, cooked until thick, set into bowls, dusted with cinnamon. It is canonical Festa Junina (June Festival) food, particularly in the Brazilian south.
i. Origin & history
Curau reflects the Brazilian indigenous and Portuguese-creole corn tradition. The dish is reportedly very old — pre-dating Portuguese colonisation in something close to its current form.
ii. Ingredients
Makes 8 servings · scroll the side panel to adjust
- 8 ears fresh sweet corn (or 600 g frozen corn kernels)
- 500 ml whole milk
- 200 g sugar
- 400 ml coconut milk
- Pinch salt
- 1 cinnamon stick
- Ground cinnamon to dust
iii. Method
- Strip kernels from corn (reserve cobs). Blend kernels with milk; strain through a fine sieve, pressing.
- Combine the strained corn milk, coconut milk, sugar, salt and cinnamon stick in a pan.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, 15-20 min until thick.
- Pour into small bowls. Cool, then chill 2 hours.
- Dust with cinnamon to serve.
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
Cariri-style curau uses more coconut milk. Curau de leite condensado uses condensed milk. Modern curau sometimes incorporates passion fruit.
vi. Common questions
What is curau?
Curau is brazilian sweet-corn pudding, from latin american cuisine. It is canonical Festa Junina (June Festival) food, particularly in the Brazilian south
Where is curau from?
Curau is from the latin american dessert tradition; the recipe and history are detailed above.
How long does curau keep?
See the storage note in the Quick facts panel: 3 days refrigerated.