The Tastebud Traveler

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Brigaderos - Week 3 - Brazil

Our treat for today, Brigaderos, are something of a pop icon in their native Brazil. You can find the classic fudge-y truffle everywhere, but there is also the trend for gourmet versions with all kinds of toppings and flavors. For example check out the flavors from Simply Brigadeiro

Consisting of basically three main ingredients and the toppings, Brigaderos are deceivingly simple to make, and pack a big bang for their buck, thus making them the perfect party treat. You will definitely look like you slaved away in the kitchen making them. Children's parties, work parties and celebrations is where you'll often see them in their native country.

Brigaderos are a relatively new dessert creation, especially to already have the iconic status that they do. Invented in the early 1940's, it was a quick and fancy treat to make at many political campaign dinners and events during the campaign of Brigadier Eduardo Gomes who was running for president. While he did lose the election, the sweets named after his rank of Brigadier took off.

While this ooey-gooey candy is traditional made into a ball and rolled in chocolate sprinkles, it can also be eaten hot on a spoon, in ice cream form, or as a filling in other cakes and desserts. That sounds fantastic!

Enough talk! How do we make them?

1) In the pot it goes! 2)Finished texture.

Simply toss three main ingredients into a saucepan at medium low heat. Just a few minutes later the batter will have thickened. Something like super fudge-y cookie dough.

Let cool for a bit, get out your miniature cupcake wrappers, coat your hands in butter, roll about a tablespoon full into a ball, roll into the topping of your choice and place in wrapper. Done! This gorgeous yummy treat is complete.

They taste like chocolate cookie dough, melted fudge or soft truffles. The sprinkles or other toppings give it a nice crunch. My favorite is the coconut topping and the classic chocolate sprinkles. My husband loved the silver and gold sugar sprinkles I used, and boy could you hear them crunch!

I would be 70% likely to seek out Brigaderos while in Brazil.

Brigaderos

Makes: About 20

1 Can Sweetened Condensed Milk

2-4 tablespoons Cocoa Powder (Sifted)

1 Tablespoons Butter Plus more for rolling.

Miniature Cupcake Baking Cups

Chocolate Sprinkles, Or Other Sprinkles, Coconut, Nuts, Caramel, ETC.

Directions:

Mix condensed milk, cocoa powder and butter in a saucepan over medium low heat. Stir constantly until mixture thickens. This only takes a few minutes. Its ready when you stir with a spoon and the mixture is very slow to settle back down. Pour into another buttered container and stick it in the fridge for a bit (around 15 mins or until cool)

Get your toppings ready in different small bowls and your baking cups separated and ready. Also butter a small dinner spoon and your hands. When batter is cool, spoon out about a tablespoon of batter into your hand and roll into a nice smooth ball. Then roll around in your topping of choice, place in baking cup and "Voila!" you have a Brigaderos. I recommend keeping in fridge until a few minutes before you're ready to serve.