Brazilian desserts are typically pretty sweet and a lot of them use sweetened condensed milk, like these chocolate fudgy-like trufflescalledbrigadeiros(pronounced bree-ga-DAY-ros).The most popular sweetin Brazil, eatenfrom north to south, by rich and poor, they were traditionally rolled in sprinkles and served at children’s birthday parties(we used to eat at least 5 of those at a time, but don’t tell my kids). We also makebrigadeirocakes in Brazil, which aremade by filling and frosting an entire chocolate cake by spreading a recipe or two of brigadeiros on it. That too, I am yet to tell my kids…
In the last few years, brigadeiroshave been revamped into gourmet sweets (docinhos)that are now served atweddings and any otheroccasion, from picnics to corporate events. There are many “boutiques” in Brazil dedicated entirely to these treats, serving them in little jars, tubes, spoons, rolled in different nuts or prepared in a variety of flavors (yes, caipirinha flavor, too). My kids love the good old version of chocolate sprinkles for their birthday parties,but I prefer a more grown-up flavor like rolling them in cacao nibs (I love thebitter/sweet balance of this combination) or, my latest, a variety of tiny seeds and grains from a little package I discovered the other day at Trader Joe’s. I remembered seeing chocolate truffles covered with seeds at the Borough Market in London during our vacation therelast month. I was droolingover them staring from the store window as my family beggedme to keep walking. It became my new favorite:it keeps thebrigadeiro flavor simple as in my childhood memories, with a little added crunchiness (I promise you it does not hurt the taste of indulgence).
They are so good that they are on the addictive category… I suggest you serve a few, keep a few and gift the rest to friends or work colleagues. I send extras (of almost anything) to Romas’ work. That way I never have to bump into temptation on my kitchen counter when all I’m doing is going for an innocentglass of water. When the treats are good, I ask him to walk around the office offering to people. When they are not the greatest, I tell him to “dispose” of them on the kitchen counter anonymously… sorry, Romas’ work colleagues. And thanks for helping us not waste any food.
Don’t be discouraged if you don’t get the consistency right the first time. If it is undercooked and too soft, serve it in little cups with spoons and toppings. If it is overcooked and chewy, you can also roll them and eat as well.Even failed brigadeiro is good! You should definitelytry the original version, rolled in sprinkles (preferably the kinds that are made withreal chocolate), to know what this Brazilian national iconis all about.
BRIGADEIROS
2 tablespoons ofunsweetened cocoa powder
Directions:
In a medium sauce pan over medium-low heat, stir the three ingredients.
Cook the mixture stirring constantly, or it will burn. After it starts bubbling, cook another fewminutes until it is slightly thicker andshows the bottom of the pan when stirring (7to10 minutes total, depending on the thickness of the pan used).
Spread brigadeiro onto abuttered dish and let cool to room temperature (I cook it in the morning and roll it in the afternoon).
Prepare bowls with the sprinkles or otheringredients of your choice for coating(crushed hazelnutsorpistachios, grated chocolate, cocoa powder, seeds and grains, cacao nibs…).
Butter your hands and shapethebrigadeirosinto truffle-sized balls, rolling 4 or 6 at a time through the coatings and placing them on candy sized liners.
