Brigadeiro
Brigadeiro is named after Brigadier Eduardo Gomes, a Brazilian presidential candidate in 1945 and 1946. His supporters, lacking campaign funds from other sources, cooked and sold these chocolate candies to raise money — Gomes lost the election, but the sweet bearing his name became immortal long after his political career ended. Today, brigadeiro is present at nearly every Brazilian birthday party, as omnipresent as cake is in other cultures. The essential technical marker is what Brazilians call the ponto de brigadeiro, the exact point — the mixture must be stirred continuously, without pause, until it visibly pulls away from the bottom of the pan as the spoon passes through, a sign it's cooked enough to set properly once cooled, without having scorched on the bottom.
The mixture cooks while stirring nonstop, no breaks
If you stop stirring even for a minute, the condensed milk sticks to the bottom and scorches
The exact point is checked by dragging a spoon through the mixture
When the pan's bottom stays visible for a moment, the brigadeiro is ready
The mixture cools completely before being rolled
Warm, it's too soft to form balls that hold their shape
Present at nearly every Brazilian birthday party
It's as omnipresent at Brazilian celebrations as cake is elsewhere
Ingredients 4 servings
- 1 can (395g) sweetened condensed milk
- 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp butter, plus extra for greasing hands
- Chocolate sprinkles, for coating
- A pinch of salt
How to make it
- 1COOK THE MIXTURE: combine the condensed milk, cocoa, butter and salt in a saucepan, cook over medium-low heat, stirring continuously.
- 2CHECK THE CONSISTENCY: keep stirring until the mixture thickens and pulls away from the bottom of the pan when you drag a spoon through it, about 10-15 minutes.
- 3LET IT COOL: transfer to a greased plate, let cool completely, at least 1 hour (or in the fridge).
- 4SHAPE: grease your hands with butter, roll the mixture into small balls.
- 5COAT: roll each ball in chocolate sprinkles until fully covered.
- 6SERVE: place in mini candy cups, serve at room temperature.
Nutritional info
per serving (~350 g)
Estimated nutritional values.
Pairs perfectly with
