Brazilian Corn Bread – Queijadinha

I can only describe my Mãe's recipe for Queijadinha to an American audience as a Brazilian take on cornbread. Authentic Brazilians would probably disagree, because that is not how it operates in Brazil. Cornbread, as I know it, is a side dish, and it is served with barbecue and collard greens. Queijadinha, in Brazil, is a dessert. This recipe is much more of a hybrid, I suppose, which makes sense, given my mixed cuisine heritage. What makes this recipe very different from traditional cornbread is two things: Shredded coconut and Parmesan. That's right. Parmesan! It's a savory and sweet recipe, and it is freaking delicious. Coconut has a floral flavor that some people don't love, but juxtaposed with the tangy flavor and umami body of Parmesan, it makes for a rich multi-dimensional flavor, and texture too.

The other thing I love love love about this recipe is how easy it is. You make it in a blender. No mixing or sifting or huge pile of dishes to clean up afterwards. You just throw it all in a blender, and you're done. Honestly, nothing this easy should taste this good, but it does. The recipe calls for corn flour either with or without polenta grits. Personally, I much prefer the polenta grits, because I love the texture.

My mom's recipe for Queijadinha evolved throughout our lives. When I was a little kid, it was more like coconut cupcakes, complete with cupcake wrapper and everything. The coconut cupcakes were super sweet, and super sticky, almost like a coconut macaroon in cupcake foil. Except with a twist, because of the Parmesan. I don't know of any other culture that uses Parmesan cheese in their desserts, but the Brazilians do, and I love it. As with everything my mom cooks, over time she has made it less and less sweet. Personally, I love that, because you can taste the other ingredients much more. There is a reason a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down: Sugar is really good at drowning out other tastes.

Here's the recipe in Portuguese, if any Brazilians would like to try it:

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