RECIPE - Bolinhos de Chuva

This recipe for "little cakes of rain" (the direct translation of the Brazilian name bolinhos de chuva) comes from the website of the popular Brazilian morning TV show Mais Você, and is a very typical recipe for the sweet mouthful that is so popular in Brazil.

Tasting and looking very much like the American snack commonly known as doughnut holes, these little round balls are just the right size to pop into the mouth, and just like American doughnuts have a power affinity for a cup of coffee to accompany them.

Bolinhos de chuva must be deep-fried, and anything that claims the name without having been cooked in a deep-fryer is a fraud. That does mean that you'll need to have the proper equipment for deep-frying at home if you wish to make them, and that you know how to deep-fry safely in a home kitchen.
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RECIPE - Bolinhos de Chuva

1 large whole egg, lightly beaten
1 cup whole milk, cold
1 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
2 Tbsp white granulated sugar
pinch of salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
neutral vegetable oil for frying
1/2 cup granulated white sugar combined with 2 tsp powdered cinnamon (for dusting)
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In a large bowl, combine the egg, milk, butter, sugar and salt, beating well to mix thoroughly. Add the flour in batches, beating in each batch before adding more until you have a uniform dough. Add the baking powder and mix in thoroughly.

Heat sufficient oil in a deep-frying to medium heat. Using a tablespoon, drop spoonsful of dough into the hot oil and fry them, turning them over once, until they are golden brown. Do not overcrowd the oil; fry them in batches if necessary. Remove the balls from the oil, place them on a wire rack set over several layers of paper towels to drain.

When completely drained and only slightly warm, dust the balls on all side with the sugar and cinnamon mixture. This is best done using a flour sifter and a wire rack. Let the balls cool complete and serve immediately, or keep at room temperature, covered tightly, for up to 24 hours.

Brazil's Beignets -the Bolinho de Chuva

Just as you can find variations on baked or grilled flatbread all around the world, from Mexico and its tortillas, to Lebanon's lavash, Italy's pizza and Indian naan, the idea of making a loose dough then dropping small balls of it into hot oil to deep fry can be found in countries and culture here and there on all continents. There's something deeply comforting (and addicting) about these sweet treats that seems to appeal universally to human's appetites.

Almost no one doesn't like a doughnut, America's contribution to this type of food. Canadians, though, have recetnly trumped the Americans and now have become the world's highest per capita consumers of doughnuts. The idea of visiting New Orleans and not eating a beignet is scandalous to many , and elsewhere in the American south you'll run across the charmingly-named hush puppy. The Netherlands has its oliebollen, and in Belgian Wallonie they've got croustillons. Quebec has chosen to call their version (rather rudely) pets de nonne. Presumably because the little balls are light and sweetly fragrant, Quebecs seem to think these sweets deserve to be called "nun's farts".

Brazilians too love these sweet treats, and have christened their version bolinho de chuva which means little cakes of rain. Bolinhos de chuva, dusted with plain or cinnamon sugar are a favorite accompaniment to late afternoon coffee in Brazil, and are considered to be the standard version. Numerous variations do exist, even including some savory recipes, though these are still massively outnumbered by recipes for sweet bolinhos. Because bolinhos are so light and airy, they are sometimes stuffed with sweet whipping cream or doce de leite. Brazilian cooks seem to have oringally inherited their recipe for bolinho de chuva from Portuguese sweet kitchens, where bolinhos de chuva are also found.

Emília

For many Brazilians there is a deep nostalgic connection between bolinhos de chuva and a long-running childrens' TV show called Sítio do Picapau Amarelo (The Yellow Woodpecker's Farm). The show was based on a classic book of Brazilian childrens' literature of the same name, written by Monteiro Lobato. One of the show's most-loved characters was kindly Tia Nastácia (Aunt Nastácia) who was always making bolinhos de chuva for rag doll Emília and the show's other characters.

Next post, we'll publish a typically Brazilian recipe for bolinhos de chuva.