Brigadeiros: traditional Brazilian treats

It's only natural that the first recipe is a dessert.

Brigadeiros are traditional Brazilian candies and they taste like fudge balls. They are chewy, delicious, and have an outside crunch from the sprinkles.

Recipe is at the bottom!

We start this recipe by mixing water with the cocoa powder in a small bowl. It takes a little persistence to get the water and cocoa powder to mix. Just keep stirring and add the cocoa gradually! This mixture allows the cocoa powder to mix more easily with the condensed milk later on. Then we melt the butter in a saucepan and add the condensed milk and the cocoa powder/water mixture.

Then we stir! And stir, and stir, and keep stirring...do not stop! Stir the mixture in the saucepan the entire time. I stirred mine around medium low to low heat the entire time. After the consistency is right (it will be shiny and thick), we pour or spoon the mixture into a pre-greased plate or pan. I used a cake/pie pan. Put the pan in the fridge until it is cooled and firm (about 20-30 minutes). After the mixture is cooled, grease your hands with a little bit of butter and grab about a teaspoon of mixture and roll into a ball and place on wax paper. Then roll each ball into chocolate sprinkles. I put all of my Brigadeiros back in the fridge to firm up, and then they were ready to serve! 

Full recipe down below. Enjoy.

Ingredients:

• 2 TBSP water
• 2 TBSP cocoa powder
• 2 TBSP butter
• 1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
• Chocolate sprinkles (for rolling)

Instructions:

1. Butter/grease a plate or pie dish and set aside.
2. Pour water in a small bowl. Gradually stir in cocoa powder. This will make a paste that will allow the cocoa powder to easily mix with the condensed milk.
3. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
4. Add the condensed milk and cocoa powder/water mix to the saucepan.
5. STIR CONSTANTLY. Do not stop stirring. The mixture will start boiling; keep stirring on low heat. The consistency will get thick and should stop sticking to the sides. This takes about 10-15 minutes of stirring.
6. Pour/spoon the mixture in the pre-greased pie dish. Place in the fridge to cool for about 20-30 minutes.
7. Once the mixture is cooled and firm, lightly rub your hands with butter and grab about a teaspoon of Brigadeiro mixture and roll it into a ball. Roll all of the mixture into balls (I made 18) and place on wax paper.
8. Pour chocolate sprinkles in a bowl and roll the balls until they are fully covered. Place back on wax paper.
9. Put Brigadeiro balls back in the fridge (about 10 minutes) to firm up before eating.
10. Makes 18 Brigadeiros. Store in the fridge for up to a week. Enjoy!

- Lindsay