Miss Confection

Sweet things from every corner of the world

🇧🇷 Brazil Kid-friendly

Brazilian Brigadeiros

Fudgy chocolate truffles rolled in sprinkles, the sweet of every Brazilian party

Prep
20 min
Cook
12 min
Total
1 hr 32 min
Yield
About 24 brigadeiros
Level
Easy
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The story

In Brazil no birthday party is complete without brigadeiros, little chocolate balls rolled in sprinkles and set in paper cups. They are among the country's best-loved sweets, and their story is tied to an election.

In 1945 Brigadeiro Eduardo Gomes, a brigadier in the Brazilian Air Force, ran for president. According to the popular account, women supporters in Rio de Janeiro made and sold a new chocolate sweet to raise money for his campaign. Brigadeiro means brigadier, and the sweet took his name. Gomes lost the election, but the brigadeiro became a national favourite. Its timing made sense: sweetened condensed milk was widely available, while fresh milk, eggs and sugar could be scarce in the years after the Second World War.

Brigadeiros could hardly be simpler. Condensed milk, cocoa and butter are stirred over the stove until thick, cooled, then rolled into balls. The skill is in judging when to stop cooking: the mixture should pull away from the pan in one mass. This is a perfect recipe to make with kids, who love rolling and decorating the balls. An adult should do the stirring at the stove.

Tips for success

  • Keep stirring the whole time. Condensed milk scorches quickly on the bottom of the pan.
  • Undercooked mixture is too soft to roll. Overcooked brigadeiros turn chewy and hard. Watch for the moment it pulls away from the pan.
  • For a richer version, stir in 50 g (1.75 oz) chopped dark chocolate at the end of cooking.
  • Store covered at room temperature for 2 days or in the fridge for up to a week.

Brazilian Brigadeiros

An easy Brazilian brigadeiros recipe with just four ingredients: condensed milk, cocoa, butter and chocolate sprinkles. Fudgy, chewy chocolate truffles kids love to roll.

Prep
20 min
Cook
12 min
Total
1 hr 32 min
Yield
About 24 brigadeiros
Calories
~70/serving

Ingredients

Instructions

Cook the mixture

  1. Combine the condensed milk, butter, cocoa and salt in a medium nonstick saucepan and stir until smooth before turning on the heat.
  2. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a silicone spatula and scraping the bottom and sides, for 10 to 15 minutes.
  3. It is ready when it is thick and glossy, and when you drag the spatula through it, the mixture slides away from the pan in one mass and you can see the bottom for a few seconds.

Cool

  1. Scrape the mixture onto a buttered plate, spread it out and let it cool to room temperature, about 1 hour. You can also chill it for 30 minutes to make rolling easier.

Roll

  1. Pour the sprinkles into a small bowl and set out about 24 small paper candy cups.
  2. Butter your hands lightly. Scoop teaspoon-sized portions, about 15 g each, and roll them into smooth balls.
  3. Roll each ball in sprinkles until completely coated and set it in a paper cup. Serve at room temperature.

Tools we use

Recipe from Miss Confection · https://missconfection.com/recipe/brazilian-brigadeiros

Questions, answered

What are brigadeiros made of?

Classic brigadeiros are made from sweetened condensed milk, cocoa powder and butter, cooked until thick, rolled into balls and coated in chocolate sprinkles.

How do you know when brigadeiro is ready?

Drag a spatula through the mixture. When it slides away from the pan in one mass and the bottom stays visible for a few seconds, it is ready.

Why are my brigadeiros too soft to roll?

The mixture was undercooked. Chill it for 30 minutes to firm it up, or put it back on the stove for a few more minutes next time.

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