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Grandma's Traditional Brigadeiro Recipe

Grandma’s traditional brigadeiro recipe! These Brazilian chocolate truffles are perfect for any celebration. Quick, easy, and delicious.

Prep Time
2 mins
Cook Time
2 mins
Wait until it cools down to room temperature:
2 hrs
Total Time
16 mins
Servings: 30 brigadeiros
Calories: 71 kcal
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Brazilian

Ingredients

  • 2 cans Condensed Milk
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 2 tbsp chocolate see notes
  • chocolate jimmies

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Prepare the Egg Yolk: Pinch and remove the thin membrane that keeps the egg yolk together from the egg yolk. If you find this too complicated, you can use a fine mesh sieve. Add the egg yolk to the sieve, burst it, and let it slowly drip. The membrane will be left in the sieve; discard it. You can also omit the egg yolk if you prefer.
  2. Add the Ingredients: In a medium-sized saucepan, combine the condensed milk, egg yolk (if using), butter, and chocolate powder or cocoa powder. (tip: pass the cocoa powder through a sieve to avoid any clumping)
  3. Cook the Mixture: Place the saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring constantly with a silicone spatula to prevent sticking. The mixture will thicken as it cooks. This usually takes about 10-15 minutes. Tip: You’ll know it’s ready when the mixture starts to pull away from the sides and bottom of the pan and you can see the bottom of the pan when you stir. Another way to test is to run the spoon through the middle; if it takes a few seconds for the mixture to come back together, it’s done.
  4. Cool the Mixture: Pour the mixture onto a greased plate or tray to cool. I like to cover it with plastic wrap right away. Even before it cools as to prevent it from drying. Let it cool to room temperature.
  5. Shape the Brigadeiros: Once cooled, grease your hands with butter to prevent sticking. Scoop small amounts of the mixture and roll into 1-inch balls.
  6. Coat with Sprinkles: Roll each ball in the rainbow jimmies until fully coated. Place each brigadeiro in a small paper candy cup if desired.

Notes

  • Butter: You can use salted butter, unsalted, or even margarine. Grandma used margarine, but I prefer butter.
  • Egg Yolk: Not all traditional brigadeiro recipes use egg yolks. You can skip it if you prefer, but my grandma used it for a nice consistency.
  • Chocolate: Grandma used a chocolate powder called Nescau in Brazil. Here in Canada, most chocolate powders are too sweet. You have a couple of alternatives:
  • Cocoa Powder: My preferred option. Condensed milk is already very sweet, so cocoa powder balances it well.
  • Traditional Brazilian Flavor: Find a chocolate powder with around 50% cocoa. If you can’t find it, make your own by mixing 1 tablespoon of sugar with 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder, or you can also just add less cocoa powder for a less intense chocolate flavour
  • Chocolate Jimmies: Now, for Grandma’s secret. Drumroll, please... she used sprinkles made of real chocolate. If you thought chocolate sprinkles are made of chocolate, you might be disappointed to learn that they are typically just sugar. Instead of getting an extra burst of chocolate flavor, regular sprinkles just add more sweetness. Perhaps this is what made Jamie Oliver unhappy? He didn’t try my grandma’s brigadeiros, after all. Grandmas tip: find sprinkles made of real chocolate. Currently, my favorite sprinkles are Dutch sprinkles, called hagelslag, which you can get from specialty shops or online. Note that they expire sooner than regular sprinkles, so don’t buy in bulk unless you’re making brigadeiros frequently.

Nutrition Information

Calories 71kcal (4%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 30brigadeiros

Amount Per Serving

Calories 71

% Daily Value*

Calories 71kcal 4%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.