Brigadeiro
Brigadeiros are soft, fudgy chocolate truffles made from condensed milk, cocoa and butter and rolled in chocolate sprinkles. They are the star of Brazilian birthday parties. A spoonful of the warm mixture is also delicious on its own.
Brigadeiro: User Mayra (Maych) on Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Where it comes from
Brigadeiro was created in Brazil in the twentieth century using condensed milk, which was widely available at the time. Today it is the most popular sweet at celebrations in Brazil.
Explore the cuisine of Brazil.
Make Brigadeiro at home
Ingredients
- 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon butter
- Pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla, optional
- 1 cup chocolate sprinkles
- Mini paper cups
How it's made
- Combine the condensed milk, cocoa, butter and salt in a nonstick saucepan.
- Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon.
- Continue until the mixture thickens and you can see the bottom of the pan when you pull the spoon across, about 10 minutes.
- Pour onto a buttered plate and chill 30 minutes.
- Butter your hands and roll teaspoons of the mixture into balls.
- Roll in sprinkles and place in paper cups.
Variations
- Beijinho: coconut version.
- Branco: white chocolate version.
- Brigadeiro de colher: eaten warm with a spoon.
Cook’s tip: Stir constantly and pull from the heat the moment the mixture thickens to avoid a hard, grainy texture.
Related dishes
Description and method written by Intercontinental Chef. Home-style method; quantities are a starting point, so adjust to taste.
- Brigadeiro: User Mayra (Maych) on Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)