With all the exams and presentations we have due during midterms, it is extremely important to keep your brain energized. As a chocoholic, something that stuck with me after taking biology was this quote from my professor, “Glucose is the primary source of energy for your body. It keeps your brain working hard.”
Today, I will teach you step by step how to make your new favorite dessert. Some people will call this “chocolate ball,” but the real name for this dessert is “brigadeiro.” This is a Brazilian treat that we eat at every and I mean, every, birthday party. It does not matter how old you are, brigadeiro is for everyone. I lost count of how many times my friends and I were hanging out and decided to make brigadeiro to eat while we binge watched Netflix.
The ingredients you need:
1 tablespoon of butter
1 can of sweetened condensed milk
4 tablespoons of cocoa powder
Chocolate sprinkles
I like brigadeiros that are not too sweet, but also not dark, so I use unsweetened cocoa powder because the condensed milk is very sweet, but you can use sweetened powder if you prefer. Also, sometimes you can find the Nestle Brazilian version of the sweetened condensed milk at Walmart, but if you cannot find that, I prefer to buy the Nestle “La Lechera.” The texture and taste are closer to the brand sold in Brazil.
Step 1:
Combine cocoa, butter, and condensed milk in a saucepan over medium heat.
Photo courtesy of WikiHow
Step 2:
Cook stirring for about 10 minutes until the mix becomes thicker.
Photo courtesy of ComoFazerBrigadeiros.com
Step 3:
Remove from heat and transfer the brigadeiro to a bowl or plate. Let it rest for about 20-30 minutes until it is cool enough.
Photo courtesy of Receitas de Blog
Step 4:
Butter your hands so the mixture does not stick and roll small balls.
Photo courtesy of Culinaria Doce
Step 5:
Roll the balls in the chocolate sprinkle. This is the part where I get 2 brigadeiros ready to serve and one to eat right away.
Photo courtesy of Culinaria Doce
It is very fast and simple to make brigadeiros, and trust me, if you like sweets or chocolate, you will love this small piece of heaven on Earth. You do not necessarily need to do the small balls and roll them in chocolate sprinkles. This is just the way we serve them at parties, but if you are cooking for yourself or for just a couple of friends, you can eat them directly from the bowl with or without sprinkles.
I hope you enjoy the brigadeiros and let me know how you liked them!