AI-generated image
Bolinho de estudante
Bolinho de estudante: crisp fried fingers of tapioca and coconut rolled in cinnamon sugar
Baianas de acarajé sell these next to their black-eyed pea fritters, and the name, 'student's cake', comes from how cheap and filling they are for schoolchildren in Salvador. A dough of granulated tapioca soaked in hot milk and coconut milk with grated coconut is shaped into short fingers, fried until the outside shatters, and rolled while still warm in cinnamon sugar. Inside they stay chewy and moist, a little like a coconut doughnut. Eat them with afternoon coffee, or make a tray for a festa junina. A common error is frying before the tapioca has fully absorbed the liquid, which makes the fingers burst open in the oil; give the dough its full 30-minute rest. Chef's tip: keep a bowl of water by you and wet your hands while shaping, so the sticky dough rolls into smooth fingers that fry evenly.
- Total time
- 65 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
For the dough
For frying and coating
Shop this recipe on Amazon
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (1)
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Mix 9 oz granulated tapioca, 3 ½ oz grated coconut, 2 ⅞ oz sugar and 1 pinch salt in a large bowl.
Step 2: Heat 1 cup whole milk and ¾ cup coconut milk in a pan over a medium heat until steaming but not boiling, about 4 minutes.
4 minStep 3: Pour the hot liquid over the tapioca mixture and stir well. Cover and leave for 30 minutes, until the grains have soaked up all the liquid and the mass holds together when squeezed.
30 minStep 4: With wet hands, roll heaped tablespoons of dough into fingers about 7 cm long and 2 cm thick, pressing firmly so there are no cracks. You should get about 24.
Step 5: Heat 4 ¼ cups neutral oil for deep-frying in a deep pan to 350°F, or until a small piece of dough sizzles at once and rises. Fry the fingers 5–6 at a time for 4–5 minutes, turning, until deep golden all over.
15 minStep 6: Mix 3 ½ oz sugar and 2 tsp ground cinnamon on a plate. Drain the bolinhos briefly on kitchen paper, then roll them in the cinnamon sugar while still warm so it sticks. Serve warm or at room temperature the same day.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 48 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does bolinho de estudante take?
- About 65 minutes in total: 45 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of whole milk?
- Semi-skimmed milk with 1 tbsp cream per 240ml (1 cup).
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Baklava
The famous layered pastry: crisp sheets of buttered fillo sandwich a filling of almonds, pistachios and cashews spiced with cinnamon, cardamom and saffron. After baking, the hot baklava is soaked in a syrup of sugar, honey, lemon, rose and cardamom and decorated with almond and pistachio flakes. Cut into 40 diamonds; serve with fresh cream or ice cream.
Custard sauce
Proper pouring custard made the easy way with custard powder. It's thick, smooth and lightly sweet, just right with apple pie, crumbles, fruit salad and trifle. Serve it warm, or chill it for trifles.
British
Chocolate sauce
A thick, glossy chocolate sauce made from store-cupboard cocoa and milk, ready in under 10 minutes. Pour it hot over vanilla ice cream, or let it cool and spread it on cakes and puddings.