What is a Brigadeiro

Brigadeiro is a traditional Brazilian candy made with sweetened condensed milk, chocolate and sprinkles. It especially brings me amazing memories from childhood. You couldn’t have a birthday party without it and everyone would seek for more after emptying the tray. Each family would hold a particular twist on the preparation and make it different from the crowd.

So there are countless versions of this amazing dessert. Recently, there was an expansion of fine shops that only sell Brigadeiros in Brazil, these are called “Brigaderias”. These stores use special ingredients and have diverse flavors, fillings and coatings, but they use to be quite expensive. You might be thinking that Brigadeiro is a complicated and detailed recipe, but it’s exactly the opposite! The basic formula requires just a few components and some attention.

Brigadeiros are easy to prepare and the final result will surprise you! Small paper cases (like in the picture) are used to facilitate the serving. But sometimes, you can just place the candies on a large serving plate. The main ingredient of the Brigadeiro, the sweetened condensed milk, called “leite condensado” in Portuguese. It’s present in many Brazilian desserts and plays an important role in the national pastry.

I’ve tested and tasted countless interpretations of the Brazilian Brigadeiro during my life. It’s hard to tell my favorite, however, I prefer the recipes that contain unsalted butter and semisweet chocolate in addition to cocoa powder. The butter makes the texture softer and smooth and the chocolate develops the flavor. Regarding the coating, you can use any ingredient that adheres to the candies, like coconut, chopped almonds or even grated chocolate. So fell free to experiment and use what you have available. I’ve used colored sprinkles and regular chocolate sprinkles.

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