Granulated tapioca pearls soak up hot milk, coconut milk and condensed milk, then set in the refrigerator into a sliceable, chewy-creamy cake. It is finished with a glossy layer of condensed milk and grated coconut and served cold. Makes 12 pieces in about 5 hr.
Prep20 min
Cook5 min
Cooling4 hr 35 min
Total
5 hr
Yield
12 pieces
Ingredients
Adjust yield
pieces
Scales from a half to a double batch; give a bigger batch a little more time.
10 ½ oz (300 g)granulated tapioca (tapioca granulada)
¼ cup (50 g)granulated sugar
1 pinchsalt
2 cups (500 ml)whole milk
¾ cup (200 ml)coconut milk, full-fat
⅔ cup (200 g)sweetened condensed milk, for the cake
⅔ cup (80 g)unsweetened grated coconut, for the cake
1 tsp (5 ml)neutral oil, for the pan
⅔ cup (195 g)sweetened condensed milk, for the topping
2 ½ tbsp (20 g)unsweetened grated coconut, for the topping
Brush the 8-inch (20 cm) square pan with the neutral oil.
In a large heatproof bowl stir together the granulated tapioca, granulated sugar and salt.
Heat the whole milk in a saucepan over medium heat until steaming with small bubbles at the edge, about 5 minutes. Pour it over the tapioca a little at a time, stirring so no dry clumps remain.
Cover the bowl and let the tapioca soak until the grains swell and soften and most of the milk is absorbed, about 15 minutes.
Stir in the coconut milk, the 200 g sweetened condensed milk and the 80 g unsweetened grated coconut until evenly combined into a thick, creamy mixture.
Spread the mixture in the oiled pan and press it level with a spatula. Cool 20 minutes at room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until firm enough to slice, at least 4 hours or overnight.
To finish, spread the 195 g sweetened condensed milk for the topping evenly over the chilled cake and sprinkle with the 20 g unsweetened grated coconut. Cut into 12 pieces and serve cold.
Tips
Use granulated tapioca (small, irregular pre-cooked grains), not tapioca pearls or tapioca starch; pearls and starch will not set the same way.
If the cake is still soft after 4 hours, give it another 1 to 2 hours in the refrigerator.
Contains coconut; check with your doctor if you avoid tree nuts.
Good with iced coffee.
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How long does it take to make bolo de tapioca gelado (chilled coconut tapioca cake)?
Plan on 20 minutes of prep and 5 minutes of cooking, plus 4 hours 35 minutes to chill and rest. The recipe makes 12 pieces.
How should I store bolo de tapioca gelado (chilled coconut tapioca cake)?
Keep covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days; do not leave out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
Can I make bolo de tapioca gelado (chilled coconut tapioca cake) ahead?
Yes. It needs time to chill and set, so it is a good one to make the day before you serve it.
A popular no-bake Brazilian cake, often served at June festivals (festas juninas), made by soaking granulated tapioca in hot milk with coconut milk, condensed milk and grated coconut and chilling it until it sets firm enough to slice. Serve it with iced coffee.
Variations
Chocolate (chocolate) topping: instead of the condensed milk topping, melt 100 g (2/3 cup) chopped milk chocolate into 120 ml (1/2 cup) hot heavy cream, cool 10 minutes and spread over the chilled cake; chill 30 minutes more.
Cashew (castanha-de-caju) version: sprinkle 40 g (1/3 cup) chopped roasted cashews over the topping with the coconut; no time change.
Individual cups: divide the mixture among eight 6-oz (175 ml) glasses and chill 3 hours instead of 4 before topping.
Estimated · per serving
Nutrition
Per serving = 1 of 12 servings this recipe makes.
304Calories / serving
9.4gFat
51.4gCarbs
4.7gProtein
28.3gSugar
Whole recipe (12 servings):
~3648 cal ·
113g fat ·
617g carbs ·
56g protein ·
340g sugar
Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.
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