Paçoca

Place of origin	Brazil
Region or state	São Paulo
Main ingredients	Ground peanuts, sugar
Media: Paçoca

Paçoca (Portuguese: [paˈsɔka]) is a brazilian candy typical from São Paulo cuisine, originating in the interior of São Paulo.^[1] It is made out of ground peanuts, sugar, honey and salt. Some recipes also add flour, such as corn flour, oat flour or cassava flour. Typical of the São Paulo Caipira cuisine, it is also present in other states in the country, such as Minas Gerais and Paraná, being either manufactured or home-made. Paçoca is also very common during the Festa Junina, an annual festivity that celebrates the caipira lifestyle in Brazil.^[2] It is known for its distinct dry texture and sweet taste, and is one of the most beloved Brazilian candies.^[3][4]

The state of São Paulo is the largest producer of peanuts in Brazil,^[5] while the Santa Helena Group, created in 1942 in the city of Ribeirão Preto, is responsible for the production of Paçoquita, the most consumed paçoca in the country.^[6][7] It is made in a cork or rectangular shape.^[8] The group has also launched, in recent years, the creamy version and other versions, such as Paçoquita Diet.^[9]

Paçoca in its present form was invented during the Colonial Brazil Period, but Native Brazilian peoples had recipes that mixed cassava flour with other ingredients prior to colonization. Those recipes were modified by the settlers, creating the current combination that uses sugar.^[3]

The word "paçoca" comes from the Tupi word pa'soka which means crumble.^{[citation needed]} The term is also used for the savoury dish by the same name. Both are a mix of cassava flour pounded together with other ingredients – peanuts and sugar in the case of the sweet, and carne-de-sol (sun-dried-beef) for the savoury dish.^{[citation needed]}

The traditional artisanal process of making paçoca involves first roasting the peanuts, then grinding all the ingredients together using a traditional mortar (pilão).^[10] In more modern manufacturing techniques, instead of a mortar, industrial blenders are used, and the Paçocas are later pressed into many shapes, most commonly square or cork shapes.

Some companies have created variations from the traditional Paçoca recipe, which include a diet version, with no sugar added, and a version with a concentration of peanuts.^[10]

• List of Brazilian sweets and desserts

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Paçocas de amendoim.

This Brazilian cuisine–related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

• v
• t
• e