Chocolate Bonbons Brigadeiros Brazil Recipes

BRIGADEIRO

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine cocoa, butter and condensed milk. Cook, stirring, until thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest until cool enough to handle. Form into small balls and eat at once or chill until serving.

CHOCOLATE BONBONS (BRIGADEIROS) - BRAZIL

Steps:

• In medium pan, combine milk and cocoa powder. Cook over low, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan, about 20 minutes. Add butter and salt. Mix thoroughly before removing from heat.
• When mixture is cool, rub hands with butter and shape into 1-inch balls. Roll in chocolate sprinkles. Place in mini paper cupcake forms.
• Store in fridge until served.

BRAZILIAN CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE (BRIGADEIRO)

Steps:

• Combine the coconut milk and honey in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until it starts to boil.
• Lower the heat to low and cook mixture for about 2 hours. After 2 hours the coconut condensed milk should be thick enough so that it does not run off the spoon easily and is reduced to about half.
• Raise the heat to medium and mix in the cacao powder, butter and vanilla.
• Stir the mixture frequently until it boils, then cook for another 12 minutes approximately, scrapping the sides of the pan. This time may vary and what you are looking for is a thick and creamy consistency.
• Let it cool and place it in the fridge for about 2 hours. It is important to cool it before rolling it into balls.
• Remove from fridge, line your hands with butter and start rolling the chocolate into balls. You might need to add more butter to your hands in between a few rolls.
• Cover each ball in cacao powder, coconut or chopped nuts.If you feel the chocolate is not thick enough to roll into balls place it back in the stove at medium heat and let it cook longer, then cool it in the fridge again before attempting to roll it into balls.

BRIGADEIRO (BRAZILIAN DOCINHO)

Steps:

• In a heavy saucepan mix chocolate with condensed milk and add the margarine. Cook in low heat stirring constantly until you can see the bottom of the pan. Continue to stir for another two minutes. Pour onto a plate and let cool completely before you form the little balls (I usually leave it in the cupboard until next day). Butter your hands slightly to form the little balls. Roll the balls in chocolate powder or jimmies and put them in small paper cups.
• A little cultural note: Have you noticed how many Brazilian recipes are made with condensed milk? It came to Brazil from Switzerland over a hundred years ago. It's made by Nestlé and because the label featured the picture of a milkmaid, the cans became known as the "maid milk' and that's what condensed milk is called to this day (Leite Moça).