Chucula Recipe (Sweet Plantain Dessert with Cheese Cubes)

Last modified on December 7, 2025 • 2 min read • 368 words

Freezing winter and had enough punch and mulled wine already? Then you need something different to warm up!

Chucula is something really special, because this dessert combines sweet and salty in a truly refined way. While you sip the creamy‑sweet plantain creme, you repeatedly bite into a slightly salty, already melting mozzarella cube.

I’m already drooling just writing this. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Info  

  30 minutes   2 people   works with ripe plantains only

Ingredients  

• 2 ripe plantains
• 150 g mozzarella
• 4 allspice berries
• 2 cloves
• 1/2 cinnamon stick
• 1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 150 ml water
• 200 ml milk

Steps  

1. Peel the plantains and cut them into pieces about 3 cm wide in a deep pot.

2. Cover the plantains with water (only until covered) and add the spices. (Best placed in a tea strainer for easy removal afterwards)

3. Add sugar and salt and cook everything covered over medium-high heat for about 15-20 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, bring the milk to a boil.

5. Once the plantains are soft, remove the spices and mash them together with the milk into a creamy mixture.

6. Simmer the Chucula for another 5-10 minutes and then serve it in your glasses.

7. Now add mozzarella cubes. Buen provecho!

  Note

The plantains for this recipe may indeed be brown to black, and they must feel very soft.

  Note

Here in Germany the typical Ecuadorian cheese is hard to find. But: even if mozzarella may not be 100% authentic, it still makes a very tasty substitute!

Hot drinks in the tropics?  

One reason for the enormous variety (also in food) is Ecuador’s huge elevation differences. Whether at sea level (coast) or at one of the world’s highest points (farthest from the Earth’s center) (Chimborazo volcano) — Ecuador can offer it all.

So: of course! In the Andean highlands it is often very cold and hot meals are certainly a very enjoyable way to warm up. Besides Chucula there are several other delicious hot drinks and desserts like Canelazo or Colada Morada. More about those another time…

  Note

Of course you will find this recipe and others in our ECUADOR-cookbook soon!