Festa Junina Dessert by Renan Zacchi

Pastry Chef, Zacchi & Oliveira

Festa Junina is one of Brazil’s most beloved celebrations. It’s held each June to honor saints such as St. Anthony, St. John and St. Peter. With Portuguese-Catholic roots and a festive rural spirit, the holiday showcases comfort foods that celebrate corn, seasonal harvests and community.

This plated dessert reinterprets classic Festa Junina flavors with refined modern techniques. Each component emphasizes ingredient maximization, aromatic balance and nostalgic texture, delivering a deeply Brazilian culinary experience with elevated elegance.

Creamy Guava and Rosemary Jam

This silky jam highlights the full flavor of guava by using both pulp and peel. Rosemary adds herbal brightness, while a blend of sugars—including trehalose and sorbitol—reduces bitterness and enhances the fruit’s natural tang.

• 750 g fresh guava (about 4 guavas)
• 100 g water
• 15 g lemon juice
• 60 g brown sugar
• 140 g granulated sugar
• 50 g trehalose
• 18 g invert sugar
• 8 g sorbitol
• Fresh rosemary sprigs

1. Thoroughly wash the guavas.
2. Chop and blend the guavas with the water; strain through a fine-mesh sieve.
3. Combine the strained liquid with the lemon juice in a saucepan.
4. Mix all the sugars, including the sorbitol, together and add to the pan along with the rosemary sprigs.
5. Cook over medium heat at 75–80°C (167–176°F) until the mixture reaches 52° Brix, about 40 minutes.
6. Blend with an immersion blender.
7. Strain and reserve.
8. For plating, transfer to a piping bag or squeeze bottle.

Sweet Corn and Bahia Vanilla Ice Cream

A tribute to Brazil’s harvest, this ice cream combines fresh corn and Bahia vanilla—a bold native variety. The corn pulp is reserved for the crumble.

• 3-4 ears of corn
• 660 g whole milk
• 99 g skim milk powder
• 181.5 g granulated sugar
• 13.2 g dextrose
• 23.1 g trehalose
• 3 g ice cream stabilizer
• 1 Bahia vanilla bean
• 198 g heavy cream (35% fat)

1. Cook the corn in a pressure cooker for 30 minutes.
2. Remove the kernels and weigh out 297 g, saving any extra corn kernels for another use.
3. Blend the corn with the milk.
4. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve. Reserve the pulp for use in the crumble.
5. Combine all of the dry ingredients.
6. Split the vanilla bean and scrape the seeds; reserve the pod for the meringue.
7. Heat the corn milk, cream and vanilla seeds.
8. At 45°C (113°F), add the combined dry ingredients.
9. Cook to 80°C (176°F) and hold for 3 minutes.
10. Strain and cool in an ice bath.
11. Refrigerate at 4°C (39°F) for 12 hours.
12. Churn in an ice cream machine and freeze at –20°C (–4°F) for at least 6 hours.
13. Form quenelles for plating.

Corn Pulp and Fresh Coconut Crumble

This rustic crumble uses the reserved corn pulp from the ice cream. Freshly grated coconut adds texture and tropical nuance.

• Reserved corn pulp from ice cream
• 10 g corn pulp flour (from dehydrated pulp)
• 10 g granulated sugar
• 10 g unsalted butter
• 10 g freshly grated coconut

1. Dehydrate the corn pulp at 45°C (113°F) for 14 hours.
2. Blend and sift to make a fine flour.
3. Combine the corn flour, sugar, butter and coconut until a dough forms.
4. Press through a coarse sieve to form crumbles.
5. Bake at 150°C (300°F) for 10 minutes or until golden.

Talian Meringue with Fennel and Bahia Vanilla Pod

Light and creamy, this meringue blends ground fennel and the dehydrated pod from the Bahia vanilla bean used in the ice cream. A touch of salt sharpens the finish.

• Dehydrated pod from 1 Bahia vanilla bean (just the pod)
• 2 g fennel seeds
• 70 g water
• 160 g granulated sugar
• 80 g trehalose
• 120 g egg whites
• 2 g salt
• 10 g lemon juice

1. Dehydrate the vanilla pod at 70°C (158°F) for 4 hours.
2. Grind the vanilla pod with the fennel seeds and sift to a fine powder.
3. Heat the water, sugar and trehalose to 117°C (243°F).
4. Whip the egg whites to stiff peaks.
5. Slowly stream in the hot syrup while continuing to whip.
6. Add the fennel-vanilla powder, salt and lemon juice.
7. Continue whipping until the meringue cools to 35°C (95°F).
8. Chill the meringue until you are ready to plate.

Assembly

1. Pipe a spiral of the Guava and Rosemary Jam onto the plate.
2. Spoon the Corn and Coconut Crumble at the spiral’s center.
3. Place a quenelle of the Sweet Corn and Vanilla Ice Cream on top of the crumble.
4. Pipe dots of the Fennel-Vanilla Meringue along the spiral’s edge.
5. Garnish with edible herbs, flowers or fine corn husk threads if desired.

Photos courtesy of Renan Zacchi

(This recipe appeared in the Summer 2025 issue of Pastry Arts Magazine)