Brazil · Dessert · Easy
Brigadeiro
Rome's most famous pasta. Silky egg and Pecorino sauce clinging to every strand, studded with crisp guanciale. No cream, ever.
The whole recipe in 60 seconds
Brigadeiro, in 5 ideas
- The pull-away test. Tilt the pan. If the mixture flows back slowly and leaves the bottom visible for a second, it is done. Too loose and it will not roll.
- Butter your hands. The mixture sticks to everything including you. A thin film of butter on your palms makes rolling effortless.
- Chill before rolling. Warm brigadeiro mixture is glue. Two hours in the fridge firms it into something you can shape.
- Sift the cocoa. Unsifted cocoa makes lumps that no amount of stirring fixes. Thirty seconds with a sieve saves the texture.
- Roll in anything. Sprinkles are classic, but crushed nuts, cocoa, or coconut all work. Make a mixed plate.
What you need
Ingredients
- 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, plus more for hands
- 1/2 cup chocolate sprinkles
How to make it
Directions
- Combine the condensed milk, cocoa, and butter in a heavy saucepan. Sift the cocoa first to avoid lumps.
- Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, about 10 to 12 minutes. It is done when the mixture thickly coats the spoon and pulls away from the pan bottom as you stir.
- Transfer to a buttered plate and cool completely, then chill 2 hours. Warm mixture will not roll.
- Butter your hands. Scoop teaspoon portions and roll into smooth balls.
- Roll each ball in sprinkles to coat. Place in mini paper cups if you like.
- Keep at room temperature up to 3 days, or refrigerate a week.
Low heat and constant stirring. This scorches in a heartbeat on high heat. Medium-low and a wooden spoon that never stops moving.