- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total time
- 50 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- EASY
- Calories
- 500 kcal
Quick summary
“Heritage sweet of Brazilian confectionery prepared with whole condensed milk, quality chocolate powder, and milk butter cooked slowly over low heat. Refined until it completely releases from the bottom of the pan, it is cooled, rolled by hand, and wrapped in chocolate sprinkles.”
What you need to know
- Cooking over low heat with constant stirring prevents the sugar from burning at the bottom of the pot.
- The rolling point is reached when the dough falls in blocks and detaches from the bottom when tilting the pan.
- Previous cooling on a greased plate gives firmness and stability to shape the spheres with ease.
Ingredients
Main
- 1 can of sweetened condensed milk (395g)
- 7 tablespoons of chocolate powder
- 1 tablespoon butter
- Chocolate sprinkles to taste to cover
Instructions
Principal
- In a pan, place the condensed milk, chocolate powder, and butter.
- Cook over low heat, stirring constantly to prevent sticking to the bottom.
- Cook until the mixture starts to pull away from the bottom of the pan, about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Transfer the batter to a buttered dish and let cool.
- After cooling, grease your hands with butter and shape into small balls.
- Roll the balls in chocolate sprinkles until they are well covered.
- Place the brigadeiros in paper liners and serve.
Chef's tips
- Use a heavy-bottomed pan to conduct heat without forming burnt crusts on the sweet.
- Scrape the edges with a silicone spatula to keep the dough homogeneous without hard lumps.
- Grease the palms of your hands with a little butter to shape the spheres without greasing the sprinkles.
Variations
- Spoon Brigadeiro: remove the pan from the heat two minutes before the rolling point to obtain a creamy texture and serve in small bowls.
- Gourmet Brigadeiro with Spices: add a pinch of cinnamon powder, nutmeg, or orange zest at the end of cooking.
- Stuffed Brigadeiro: wrap the brigadeiro dough around sanitized fresh strawberries or seedless green grapes.
Substitutions
- The chocolate drink powder can be replaced by fifty percent cocoa powder or pure sifted cocoa for less sweetness.
- Unsalted milk butter can be swapped for culinary margarine with eighty percent fat, maintaining the shine.
- Common chocolate sprinkles can be replaced with semi-sweet chocolate shavings or pure cocoa powder.
How to store
Store the rolled brigadeiros in paper cups inside an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days. Avoid storing in the refrigerator, as the humidity of the fridge crystallizes the sugar and dulls the chocolate sprinkles.
Can it be frozen?
Freeze the already rolled brigadeiro balls on a baking sheet for two hours and store in a sealed container for up to sixty days. Thaw at room temperature for an hour before serving to preserve the velvety texture.
What to serve with
Pair with a full-bodied espresso without sugar, coffee liqueur, a glass of chilled brut sparkling wine, or cold milk.
Frequently asked questions
Why does brigadeiro sometimes become sugary or gritty after a few days?
Crystallization occurs due to overcooking, use of chocolate with high sugar content, or improper storage in a humid refrigerator.
What is the exact point to know that the brigadeiro is ready to roll?
Tilt the pan; the dough should release completely from the bottom in a single block, opening a clear path that does not close quickly.
How do I make all brigadeiros a standard size?
Use a teaspoon measuring spoon or weigh out portions of fifteen to twenty grams on a digital kitchen scale before rolling.
Can I replace butter with margarine?
Yes, provided the margarine has at least eighty percent lipids; common watery margarines make the brigadeiro soft.
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