Brigadeiro

Brigadeiro

Brazil's beloved chocolate fudge truffle, rolled in chocolate sprinkles and served at every birthday party across the country. The base is cooked slowly on the stovetop until it transforms into a glossy, soft-set mass that holds its shape when chilled.

Prep

10 min

Cook

20 min

Total

30 min

Serves

20 truffles

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •397 g (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk, one standard can; do not substitute evaporated milk or cream
• •30 g (¼ cup) unsweetened cocoa powder, Dutch-process or natural both work; sifted to avoid lumps
• •15 g (1 tbsp) unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing hands
• •100 g (3½ oz) chocolate sprinkles, the Brazilian 'granulado' is coarser than North American sprinkles; either works

Steps

1. 1 Lightly butter a plate or shallow dish and set aside.
2. 2 In a heavy-bottomed nonstick saucepan, whisk together the condensed milk, cocoa powder, and butter until completely smooth with no streaks of dry cocoa.
3. 3 Place over medium-low heat and cook, stirring constantly with a silicone spatula, scraping the bottom and sides to prevent scorching. The mixture will bubble, thicken, and darken over about 10 to 15 minutes.
4. 4 Doneness cue: the mixture is ready when it pulls away from the sides of the pan as a single mass, leaves a clean trail when you drag the spatula across the bottom, and holds a soft line when you run your finger through it on the spatula. It should look glossy and fudgy, not wet or runny.
5. 5 Pour onto the buttered plate, spread to about 1.5 cm (½ inch) thick, and let cool to room temperature, then chill until firm enough to handle, about 1 to 2 hours.
6. 6 Scoop teaspoons of the chilled mixture (about 15 to 18 g each) and, with lightly buttered hands, roll into smooth balls.
7. 7 Pour the chocolate sprinkles into a shallow bowl and roll each ball until fully coated.
8. 8 Place in paper cupcake liners and serve at room temperature. Best within 2 days, kept covered at room temperature.