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Broa de fubá
Fennel cornmeal buns
Broa de fubá: rustic Minas cornmeal buns scented with fennel seed, eaten with coffee
BrazilianAfternoon coffee on a Minas Gerais farm almost always includes broa: craggy little cornmeal buns, golden and crusty outside, soft and slightly crumbly within, with the faint aniseed note of fennel seed. They are made by first cooking fubá with milk, butter and sugar into a thick porridge, then beating in eggs, flour and baking powder, so the crumb stays moist for days. Padarias in Belo Horizonte and the old mining towns sell them by the dozen. Serve them warm, split and buttered, with strong coffee or café com leite. Underbaking is where most batches fail; pale broas are gummy, so wait for a deep golden crust and a cracked top. Chef's tip: dip your hands in fubá rather than flour when shaping, so the buns get the rough, sandy crust they are known for.
- Total time
- 55 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups whole milk
- 2 ⅞ oz butter
- 5 ½ oz sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 9 oz fine yellow cornmeal (fubá)plus 3 tbsp for shaping
- 3 eggs
- 5 ½ oz plain flour
- 1 tbsp fennel seeds
- 1 tbsp baking powder
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What you'll need
Fresh ingredients (3)
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Bring 1 ¼ cups whole milk, 2 ⅞ oz butter, 5 ½ oz sugar and ½ tsp salt to the boil in a pan over a medium heat, stirring until the butter melts.
4 minStep 2: Add 9 oz fine yellow cornmeal (fubá) in a stream, stirring hard with a wooden spoon, and cook for 3–4 minutes, until it forms a thick, smooth ball that leaves the sides of the pan.
4 minStep 3: Tip into a bowl and leave for 15 minutes, until just warm. Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan) and line a tray with baking paper.
15 minStep 4: Beat in 3 eggs one at a time, then 5 ½ oz plain flour, 1 tbsp fennel seeds and 1 tbsp baking powder, until you have a soft, sticky dough.
Step 5: With hands dusted in cornmeal, shape 16 rough balls and set them 4 cm apart on the tray. Press a thumb lightly into each top.
Step 6: Bake for 25–30 minutes, until deep golden, cracked on top and a skewer comes out clean.
28 minStep 7: Cool for 10 minutes on a rack. Serve warm, split and buttered, with coffee.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 350 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbs
- 52 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does broa de fubá take?
- About 55 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 30 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.
- What can I use instead of whole milk?
- Semi-skimmed milk with 1 tbsp cream per 240ml (1 cup).
- What can I use instead of butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
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