Name: Brazilian Brigadeiro
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Yield: 20
Cuisine: برازيلية
Ingredients: 1 can sweetened condensed milk (395 g); 3 tbsp good-quality unsweetened cocoa powder; 1 tbsp unsalted butter; A pinch of salt; Chocolate sprinkles, for coating; Extra butter, for greasing hands when shaping

A simple, beloved Brazilian sweet made from condensed milk, cocoa and butter, cooked until thick, rolled into small balls and coated in chocolate sprinkles — a party essential.

المقادير

1 can sweetened condensed milk (395 g)

3 tbsp good-quality unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tbsp unsalted butter

A pinch of salt

Chocolate sprinkles, for coating

Extra butter, for greasing hands when shaping

خطوات التحضير

Place the condensed milk, cocoa, butter and a pinch of salt in a heavy-bottomed nonstick saucepan.

Cook the mixture over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon.

Continue stirring for 12-15 minutes until the mixture thickens enough that it holds its shape when you drag the spoon across the bottom of the pan for a few seconds.

Remove from heat and pour the mixture onto a lightly buttered plate, letting it cool completely at room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Grease your palms lightly with butter, take a small portion of the mixture and roll it into a ball about the size of a teaspoon.

Repeat until the mixture is used up.

Roll each ball in a plate of chocolate sprinkles until fully coated.

Place the balls in small paper candy cups.

Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

نصيحة

Never leave the mixture unstirred, even for a few seconds, as its high sugar content makes it prone to burning. Grease your hands well with butter before shaping to prevent the mixture from sticking to them.

Brigadeiro is Brazil's most famous sweet, and its name is tied to a curious historical episode; it is credited to a political campaign for Air Force Brigadier Eduardo Gomes in the 1940s, when his supporters created a simple sweet from condensed milk and cocoa, selling it to raise funds for his campaign — and the treat was named after his military rank, «brigadeiro».

What defines brigadeiro is its extreme simplicity relative to its huge impact on Brazilian culture; it appears at nearly every birthday party, wedding and celebration in Brazil. Preparation involves slowly cooking condensed milk with cocoa and butter until the mixture thickens enough to be rolled into small balls once cooled, then coating those balls in chocolate sprinkles for a light crunch against the soft interior.