Brazilian Brigadeiros

Brazilian Brigadeiros
4.5 from 2 ratings
"This iconic Brazilian sweet was named after Eduardo Gomes, a brigadier who, in the early 1900s, was admired for his good looks and notoriously loved chocolate. When sweetened condensed milk was invented (in Switzerland) and brought to Brazil, chefs created this fudge using the sweet milk and chocolate. This recipe is inspired by the brigadeiro sold at Colher de Pau. Eating their sweets is a journey into the past, and Colher de Pau is a landmark in Rio. Thirty-something years have passed, and the brigadeiro of my childhood is still there, as fudgy, handsome, and seducing as ever"-Chef Leticia Moreinos SchwartzRecipe excerpted from My Rio de Janeiro: A Cookbook by Chef Leticia Moreinos Schwartz. Click here to purchase your own copy. 
Servings
20
servings
Ingredients
  • 1 14–ounce can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 6 tablespoon unsweetened
  • cocoa powder (preferably giardelli)
  • 1/2 cup chocolate sprinkles
Directions
  1. In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the condensed milk, butter, and cocoa powder. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil.
  2. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture is thick and creamy, 8 to 10 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when you swirl the pan around and the whole mixture slides asone soft piece and leaves a thick residue on the bottom of the pan.
  3. Slide the mixture into a bowl. Don’t scrape the pan—you don’t want to include any of the burnt batter that stayed on the bottom of the pan.
  4. Cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight.
  5. Scoop the mixture by the teaspoonful and, using your hands, roll it into little balls about 3/4 inch in diameter.
  6. Place the sprinkles in a shallow dish. Pass the brigadeiros, 4 to 6 at a time, through the sprinkles, making sure they stick and cover the entire surface. Eat immediately or store in an airtight container for up to 3 days, after which the condensed milk will crystallize (making a crunchier brigadeiro that is still okay to eat).