Learn how to make a classic Brazilian acai bowl, made with just a few natural ingredients!
Açaí has quickly risen to fame across the globe as one of the ‘superfoods’ of the decade. It is almost hard to find a hip cafe that doesn’t offer an aesthetic açaí bowl on its menu.
Yet, this humble purple berry has been part of the Brazilian diet for centuries. Açaí has been providing the indigenous people of the region with essential nutrients and energy for generations.
What actually is Açaí?
Açaí is a berry grown on the açaí palm tree in rainforests throughout South America. They are known for their nutritional value due to the high levels of antioxidants. Unlike other berries, they are lower in sugar and higher in fat.
How do you pronounce Açaí?
Açaí has got to be one of the most commonly and hilariously mispronounced words. The correct pronunciation is ah-sigh-EE. No matter how many times I’ve told my mum, she still will pronunce it as AH-kah. It’s rather amusing anytime we are at a café and she tries to order one.
What is an açaí bowl?
An açaí bowl is made of frozen acai palm fruit that is pureed and served as a smoothie bowl. The açaí can be blended with different fruits and liquids and is typically topped with fresh fruit and granola. Apparently, in Brazil they have salty variations that are topped with dried fish!
How to make an Brazilian acai bowl
1. Chop and freeze banana the night before (the açaí should already come frozen).
2. Blend açaí puree, bananas and liquid of choice.
3. Top with desired toppings and enjoy!
How to achieve a thick texture for your açaí bowl
In order to make your açaí bowl as thick as possible, you want to use the minimum amount of liquid for it to blend. For a 2-person serving, I’d recommend 1/4 cup of liquid. Do not to overblend, or else the consistency will go runny.
Ingredient for Brazilian Açaí bowl
- Açaí- The best açaí to use is the stuff that comes pureed and frozen in packs. You can use powder, but you won’t get quite the same results. Depending on where you live, it may be a little tricky to track down. We found the açaí puree at a health food store.
- Bananas– Frozen bananas are a must for this recipe. If you use fresh bananas, you won’t get the nice thick texture that açaí bowls should have.
- Liquid– You will most likely need some sort of liquid to help blend the frozen fruit together. You can use anything you like for the liquid, including any kind of water or milk.
Serving suggestions for Brazilian acai bowls
The most enjoyable part of making açaí bowls is getting creative with your toppings. I topped mine with freshly sliced banana, strawberries, almond butter, homemade granola, desiccated coconut, freeze-dried raspberries and fresh mint.
For more breakfast recipes:
- Belgian Liege Waffles Recipe with Speculoos Sauce
- Torrejas Recipe (Cardamom French Toast)
- Cocada Amarela Recipe (Spiced Coconut Porridge)
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