Paçoca de amendoim is a traditional Brazilian sweet made from peanuts, cassava flour and sugar. It is typical of the rustic and local cuisine of Minas Gerais and São Paulo in the southeast of Brazil.
Paçoca is one of the most popular Brazilian sweets and is especially known for its distinct dry texture and sweet taste. Brazilians commonly prepare and consume it during Festa Junina, the annual festivity that celebrates the caipira lifestyle. The industrially produced Paçoca can be found all year round and comes in a cylindrical shape and brownish-beige color. In addition, it is also available as little blocks known as Paçoquinha.
The Origins Of Paçoca
The peanut candy in its present form was invented during the Colonial Brazil Period. However, Native Brazilian peoples already had recipes that mixed cassava flour with other ingredients before the colonization. Later, those recipes were modified by the settlers creating the current combination of ingredients.
The name of the popular Brazilian sweet comes from the Tupi word “posok” which means “to crumble” or “to shatter”.
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