This recipe for Brazilian Cueca Virada, Calzones Rotos, or Beignets is a classic Brazilian Dish that is simple to make and always a crowd-pleaser.
The ingredients are basic: flour, sugar, baking powder, and milk or water. The dough is then shaped into bow ties, deep-fried in oil, and covered in a cinnamon-sugar blend.
How to Make Cueca Virada
Note: The full instructions are provided in the recipe card below.
Add the flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook; stir to combine. Whisk the eggs, milk, vinegar, and vanilla in a liquid measuring cup until well combined.
Add the shortening and gradually pour in the milk mixture. Knead at medium speed until smooth, and the mixture forms a ball, leaves the sides of the bowl, and climbs up the dough hook for about 5 minutes.
Remove the dough from the bowl. Using your hands, form the dough into a smooth ball. Lightly oil a bowl. Place the dough in the bowl and turn it to oil on all sides. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rest for 15 minutes.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll out the dough to ¼ inch thick. Then, cut the dough into 2-by-3-inch strips.
Cut a 1-inch slit lengthwise in the center of each strip; insert one end of the strip into the opening, pull through, and twist to make a bow tie shape. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Set a rack on another baking sheet.
In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon to coat cueca virada; set aside. Heat 3 inches of peanut oil in a large saucepan (ensure plenty of room as the cueca virada will puff up when cooked) until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350 degrees F.
Working in batches of 3 to 4, fry the cueca virada, turn them in the oil while they fry to brown evenly on both sides, until golden brown and puffy, 3 minutes. Transfer to the rack with a slotted spoon; toss the cinnamon sugar blend while still warm.
Cueca Virada is best served warm.
Related Recipes:
- Paraguayan Fry Bread
- Paraguayan Bollos
- Crispy Orange doughnuts
- Paraguayan Style Orange Doughnuts
- Bolinhos de Chuva
📖 Recipe
Easy Cueca Virada
Ingredients
For the Brazilian beignets "Cueca Virada."
- 614 g all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled.
- 50 g (4 tablespoons) vegetable shortening , such as Crisco or unsalted butter, softened or any neutral-flavored oil
- 110 ml whole milk, orange juice or water , room temperature
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs , room temperature
- 180 g granulated sugar
- ½ tablespoon baking powder
For the Sugar & Cinnamon Coating:
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon powder
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- Peanut oil or Canola oil for frying
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, add the flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar; stir to combine.
- In a liquid measuring cup, whisk the eggs, milk, vinegar, and vanilla until well combined. Add the shortening and gradually pour in the milk mixture and knead at medium speed until smooth and the mixture forms a ball, leaves the sides of the bowl, and climbs up the dough hook, about 5 minutes.
- Remove the dough from the bowl. Using your hands, form the dough into a smooth ball. Lightly oil a bowl. Place the dough in the bowl and turn it to oil on all sides. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rest for 15 minutes.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll out the dough to ¼ inch thick. Then, cut the dough into 2-by-3-inch strips. Cut a 1-inch slit lengthwise in the center of each strip; insert one end of the strip into the opening, pull through, and twist to make a bow tie shape. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Set a rack on another baking sheet.
- In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon to coat cueca virada; set aside. Heat 3 inches of peanut oil in a large saucepan (you want to make sure there is plenty of room as the cueca virada will puff up when cooked) until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350 degrees F.
- Working in batches of 3 to 4, fry the cueca virada, turn them in the oil while they fry to brown evenly on both sides, until golden brown and puffy, 3 minutes. Transfer to the rack with a slotted spoon ; toss in the cinnamon sugar blend while still warm. Cueca Virada are best served warm.
Notes
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
