By: Author Nomad Paradise
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This brigadeiros recipe is ideal for parties, celebrations, and special occasions. These soft Brazilian chocolate sweets (resembling chocolate truffles) are made with just three simple ingredients (condensed milk, cocoa powder, and butter) and are covered in chocolate sprinkles.
Ingredients
To make brigadeiros, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- Condensed Milk – 1 can or carton of sweetened condensed milk (14 oz or 397 grams)
- Cocoa Powder – 1/3 cup cocoa powder (or 6 tbsp), sifted
- Butter – 2 tablespoon unsalted butter (1 1/2 tbsp for the mixture and 1/2 tbsp for rolling the brigadeiros)
- Chocolate Sprinkles
- Optional Additional Toppings (chopped roasted pistachios, hazelnuts, cocoa, coconut flakes, almond flakes, and a variety of sprinkles)
Note: These additional toppings are not traditional. However, I wanted to give you plenty of options when making these candies.
To keep things traditional, use chocolate sprinkles. If you have some leftover mixture and want to experiment, try some other toppings.
How to Make Brigadeiros (Step-by-Step)
Step 1 – Add the butter and condensed milk to a pot over medium heat. Then, add the cocoa (sifting it so that it doesn’t have any lumps).
Step 2 – Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thickened (about 6-10 minutes).
How to tell if the mixture is thick enough: Pull the spatula through the middle of the mixture. It should take a couple of seconds for the mixture to pull back together.
Step 3 – Transfer the mixture to a plate (greased with butter) and let it cool down.
Once it’s at room temperature (after about 20 minutes), cover it and put it in the fridge for at least 15 minutes (an hour if you want it to be easier to roll).
Step 4 – Set up your brigadeiros rolling station: put the chocolate sprinkles in a bowl or on a plate, get a tablespoon to measure the mixture, and get some butter to grease your hands so the brigadeiros don’t stick to your hands.
Step 5 – Grease your hands with some unsalted butter and then get one tablespoon at a time of the brigadeiros mixture and roll it until you form a ball.
Step 6 – Roll the balls in the chocolate sprinkles or other additional toppings. Refrigerate them until ready to serve.
To keep things traditional, serve them in candy cups to your dinner guests.
I like to serve them stacked for a centerpiece dessert. Enjoy them with coffee and celebrate in style with these sweet and chewy treats!
Recipe Card
Yield: 16
Brigadeiros (Brazilian Chocolate Truffles)
Cook Time10 minutes
Additional Time2 hours
Total Time2 hours 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 can or carton of sweetened condensed milk (14 oz or 397 grams)
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder (or 6 tbsp), sifted
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter (1 1/2 tbsp for the mixture and 1/2 tbsp for rolling the brigadeiros)
- chocolate sprinkles
- optional additional toppings (chopped roasted pistachios, hazelnuts, cocoa, coconut flakes, almond flakes, and a variety of sprinkles)
Instructions
- Add the butter and condensed milk to a pot over medium heat. Then, add the cocoa (sifting it so that it doesn’t have any lumps).
- Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thickened (about 6-10 minutes). How to tell if the mixture is thick enough: Pull the spatula through the middle of the mixture. It should take a couple of seconds for the mixture to pull back together.
- Transfer the mixture to a plate (greased with butter) and let it cool down. Once it’s at room temperature (after about 20 minutes), cover it and put it in the fridge for at least 15 minutes (an hour if you want it to be easier to roll).
- Set up your brigadeiros rolling station: put the chocolate sprinkles in a bowl or on a plate, get a tablespoon to measure the mixture, and get some butter to grease your hands so the brigadeiros don’t stick to your hands.
- Grease your hands with some unsalted butter and then get one tablespoon at a time of the brigadeiros mixture and roll it until you form a ball.
- Roll the balls in the chocolate sprinkles or other additional toppings. Refrigerate them until ready to serve (but for at least 30 minutes).
You Might Also Like to Read
- Beijinhos Recipe (Brazilian Coconut Sweets)
- Most Popular Brazilian Desserts You Should Try
If you fancy making these Brazilian candies at some point in the future, save this recipe to one of your boards, ready for your next potluck or party.
Nomad Paradise Hey there! We are Dale and Doina, the founders of Nomad Paradise. We traveled full-time for over three years, and while we now have a home base in the U.K., continue to take trips abroad to visit new places and try new cuisines and foods. Our food guides are curated with the guidance of local foodies, and their contribution is indicated under each article. We also cook the foods we try abroad, and you can discover how to make them in our 'recipes from around the world' category. View all posts
