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Delícia de Abacaxi

BRAZIL

If you love pineapple and desserts, this Brazilian classic is the one for you

SUBMITTED BY

Anacleto

One sweet entry into my “5 Pineapple Dishes From 5 Countries” comes courtesy of Anacleto in Brazil. Anacleto’s recipe is for a traditional Brazilian custard parfait of sorts known as “delícia de abacaxi”

Anacleto tells us that delícia de abacaxi means “pineapple delightful” in Portuguese. This decadent dessert is usually served in a clear glass so that you can see the various layers. The dessert is made up of alternating layers of condensed milk custard, chunky pineapple jam, and whipped cream topping. 

Back in the 1980s and 1990s, delícia de abacaxi was a favorite to be served at many fancy dinners and dinner meetings around Brazil. These days, it’s more of a classic dessert that may be a little outdated to find in many Brazilian restaurants. 

However, delícia de abacaxi remains a very popular dessert for family meetings and get-togethers around Brazil. Anacleto remembers having this dessert nearly every Christmas of his life. His grandmother, aunt, and mom all made their own version of the dish. This is definitely a traditional Brazilian mother’s recipe. 

Anacleto makes his delícia de abacaxi by first mixing yolks, milk, and condensed milk to form a sort of custard. Then, he makes a pineapple jam for the second layer with chopped pineapple, sugar, and cloves. The topping is then made by beating egg whites until fluffy and adding sugar and cream. Then, the mixture should be layered in a clear container and chilled for at least four hours.

The first thing I noticed when making this dish is how much it reminds me of a trifle. If you’ve watched Friends, you may be reminded of the meat and dessert trifle. The bottom layer of this dessert is sort of like a custard. Overall, this layer balances out with the other layers really nicely to create a dessert that is very sweet but not overwhelming. I’m not someone who loves a super sweet dessert after a meal, but the pineapple in this dessert gives it a much-needed fruity kick. My favorite part of the delicia de abacaxi has to be the custard-like pudding on the bottom. I love condensed milk, and I think this condensed milk pudding really helps this dessert stand out.

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Delícia de Abacaxi

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Ingredients
  

For pineapple compote

  • 1 medium fresh pineapple cubed
  • 1 ¼ cups sugar
  • 1 ½ cups water
  • 1 cinnamon stick

For pastry cream

  • 1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
  • 28 oz whole milk
  • 2 Tbsp cornstarch
  • 3 large egg yolks
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • ¼ cup heavy cream chilled
  • ¼ tsp vanilla extract

For chantilly cream

  • 3 egg whites chilled
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • ¼ cup heavy cream chilled
  • ¼ tsp vanilla extract

Instructions
 

To make pineapple compote

  • Mix together cubed pineapple (plus any juice coming out of the fruit while cutting it), sugar, water, and cinnamon stick in a medium saucepan.
  • Cook over medium-high heat for about 30-35 minutes, stirring now and then, or until the pineapple becomes tender, lightly golden brown, and the liquid nearly evaporates.
  • Near the end of the cooking process, keep a close eye on the compote to prevent burning, since the liquid will have almost evaporated (leave about ¼ cup of liquid for use later in the recipe). Remove from heat and let cool completely.

To make pastry cream

  • Pour the condensed milk into the medium stainless steel saucepan. Use its empty can to dissolve the cornstarch well in about 3 tablespoons of whole milk. Fill the measuring can with the remaining amount of milk and pour the milk and dissolved cornstarch into the saucepan.
  • Stir in the egg yolks and vanilla bean seeds (if you are making yours with vanilla extract, add it to the mixture when it is cooked and just about to be removed from the heat).
  • Whisk the mixture over medium heat for about 8-10 minutes or until it just starts to thicken. Then, reduce heat to medium-low and use a wooden spoon to continue stirring the mixture for about 4-5 minutes, resulting in a creamy and thickened mixture. Remove from heat and cool completely.

To make chantilly cream

  • Using the whisker of an electric mixer, beat the egg whites on high speed until stiff, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar and beat for about 30 seconds on medium speed. Then, add both the heavy cream and vanilla extract, and beat for about 15 seconds on low speed.

To assemble

  • Alternate layering pastry cream and pineapple compote in individual serving glasses or one large trifle dish. Top off with chantilly cream. Serve chilled!

Notes

Recipe inspired by Marley Recipes
Course: Dessert
Region: Latin America

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