If you’re not au fait with these soft, chocolatey treats, you clearly haven’t spent much time in Brazil, where, in the words of blogger Olivia Mesquita, they’re national treasures, “a must-have at special celebrations, from kids’ parties to weddings”. As content creator Camila Hurst puts it, “It’s basically not a party without them.” Quick and simple to make from everyday ingredients, they’re also an ideal last-minute gift for someone you love.
The chocolate
Older recipes tend to call for hot chocolate powder, but plain cocoa powder makes for a less intensely sweet result. Mesquita’s book, Authentic Brazilian Home Cooking, uses dark chocolate, and TV chef Leticia Moreinos Schwartz suggests combining the two. But, delicious as the results are, they’re more like dense, buttery chocolate truffles than light, silky party treats. Like Yotam Ottolenghi, I’ve gone for four tablespoons of cocoa, but feel free to adjust this to suit your palate.
The dairy
Chef Natalia Pereira told the New York Times that her mother in Minas Gerais would stir milk and sugar together over the wood stove to produce her brigadeiros – though homemade condensed milk is easier than I expect, the flavour is lost here, so I’d recommend the tinned variety.
Almost everyone uses butter, with the exception of the recipe on the Carnation condensed milk website, which substitutes margarine, making me think a vegan version might be possible with plant-based condensed milk. Schwartz also adds a spoonful of double cream, tempering the intense sweet bitterness of the cocoa and condensed milk into something mellower; it’s optional but worthwhile, in my opinion.
Salt, though not traditional, is a must, and you might also like to flavour the brigadeiros with sweet spices such as vanilla or cinnamon, or coffee powder, or stir in crushed biscuits (like Ottolenghi), fruit or nuts for texture.
Once they’re firm enough to roll – and the mixture is often eaten from the pan at home – you can coat them in more cocoa powder, ground nuts, chocolate flakes or desiccated coconut as takes your fancy … though nothing says “party’” to me like crunchy, colourful hundreds and thousands.
Perfect brigadeiros
Prep 10 min
Cook 15 min
Makes 18
30g butter
4 tbsp cocoa powder, plus extra to coat
1 tbsp double cream (optional)
1 x 397g tin condensed milk
½ tsp flaky sea salt (or to taste)
Hundreds and thousands, coarsely ground nuts or desiccated coconut, to coat
Put a small heatproof tray or plate near the hob. If you have a cooking thermometer, get that ready too, though it’s not vital here.
Melt the butter in a small saucepan (not non-stick) on a low heat and sift in the cocoa powder. Stir into a smooth paste, then beat in the cream, if using, and the condensed milk, plus the salt. Whisk or stir until well combined.
Turn up the heat slightly and cook, still stirring continuously (a silicone spatula is useful for getting into the edges of the pan), until the mixture has thickened and you begin to see the bottom of the pan consistently as you stir. It should read between 95 and 99C (203-210F) on a thermometer and take about 10 minutes but will vary slightly depending on your pan and hob.
Pour on to the tray or plate, leaving behind any stuck to the base of the pan (this can be reheated with a little milk to make a delicious hot chocolate that saves you scrubbing the pan), then set aside to cool until fairly firm.
Scoop out teaspoons of the cooled mixture and use your hands to roll them into balls. Tip your coating of choice into a small bowl and roll the balls in it to coat. Put in the fridge to firm up a little if necessary before serving.
