These Brigadeiros are an amazingly easy-to-make chocolate candy – perfect for snacking whenever you have a party or houseful of guests. Tonight is Monday Night Football and I wanted to give you something really easy to make that will give you time to enjoy watching the game.
If you want to make candy, it doesn’t get much simpler than these Brigadeiros. No specific temperature to worry about, no risk of failure, no fancy decorating required. You just need patience to keep stirring for about 15 minutes without stopping ~ don’t answer the phone, don’t get distracted, you do not want to scorch the sugary milk! And it really helps to have a friend nearby who can take a turn at the stirring while you take a break!
Freshly dipped candies
Once the candy is made, let it cool, form into balls, and roll them in chocolate sprinkles or jimmies. That’s it! Even novice candy makers can put these together easily! Aren’t they fun!
Be sure to make them small because they are very rich. I use a 2 tsp scoop, called a #100 disher on professional restaurant supply sites. A quick rolling in your favorite coating and they are perfect.
When it comes to sports I have to be honest, these candies will definitely make any game more enjoyable, LOL. I do enjoy college sports. I love the passion of the players and the ever-present chance that the underdog will win. You never know what might happen and that makes them very exciting to watch.
What is your favorite college sport? Do you have a favorite school?
If I had to pick one sport it would be football. I love being at the games, the excitement of the crowd, the enthusiasm of the students, cheering on our favorite teams, the halftime shows with the bands – all the things that you don’t experience when you watch the games at home. If I can’t be at the games, I can still appreciate the emotion of the players while watching them on TV. Not quite as good as being in the stadium, but it will have to do most of the time.
I have many colleges that I like but for my favorites I think it is a tie between two … Notre Dame and the Naval Academy. The first because I have Irish heritage (enough said) and the second because my father and brother went there. We are a proud Navy family and the Midshipmen at the Academy tug at my heartstrings.
So, while you are watching the game, you can pop these sweet Brigadeiros treats in your mouth without taking your eyes off the screen – perfect for the obsessed sports fans in your crowd! But beware, they have a tendency to be mildly addicting … one after the other tend to disappear quickly and easily. There are barely any left in our house, LOL.
Happy Chocolate Monday!
How to make Brigadeiros candies:
- Combine the cocoa, bourbon, and sweetened condensed milk in a saucepan, whisking until combined
- Bring to a gentle boil stirring constantly
- Reduce heat to a simmer and cook 10-15 minutes stirring constantly
- Remove from the heat and stir in the butter
- Refrigerate 30 minutes to cool
- Scoop small balls and roll them in a coating of your choice
I have Celiac, can I use alcohol?
There continues to be a debate about this question. Technically, any gluten has been removed during the distillation process and I personally have no trouble using alcohol in my cooking. However, there are others who do react. For them and any highly reactive people in your lives, you can substitute 1 tbsp potato vodka mixed with 1 tsp brown sugar to approximate the flavor of bourbon. For more information on What Makes a Spirit Gluten-Free, check out this article.
PRO Tip:
If you are using both chocolate jimmies and powdered sugar like I did, roll all the chocolate jimmies covered balls first, clean your hands, then roll the powdered sugar covered balls. Otherwise you will get white on the chocolate and dark smudges on the powdered sugar!
Key Ingredients for this Recipe
- Unsweetened cocoa powder
- Bourbon or Cachaça, optional
- Sweetened condensed milk
- Butter
- Chocolate jimmies, sprinkles, or powdered sugar
Kitchen Tools I Use to Make This Recipe (affiliate links)
Gluten-Free Tips:
Wooden spoons, other utensils, cutting boards, rolling pins, etc. can all harbor traces of gluten. If you are converting to gluten-free, buy new wooden equipment and donate your old pieces. Also check the labels of the chocolate jimmies to be sure there are no gluten-containing ingredients or possibility of cross-contamination.
Brigadeiros, Brazil's Favorite Chocolate Candy (Gluten-Free)
Brigadeiros, there is a reason these rich chocolate candies are Brazil's favorite treat. So simple, anyone can make them! Kids will love helping you dip them in chocolate jimmies or other coatings!
Ingredients
- 6 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tbsp bourbon or Cachaça, optional (see note below)
- 2 (14 oz) cans sweetened condensed milk *
- 2 tablespoons butter
- Chocolate jimmies, sprinkles, or powdered sugar
Instructions
- Lightly butter a heatproof bowl and set beside the stove.
- Place the cocoa powder and bourbon** (if using) in a medium saucepan. If you are using the bourbon, discard 2 tbsp of the sweetened condensed milk. Pour the remaining milk into the saucepan. If not using the alcohol, add all the milk to the pan. Add the bourbon** and cocoa powder, whisking together until smooth with no streaks. Place the pan over medium high heat and bring to a gentle boil, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon.***
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook 10 to 15 minutes, stirring constantly. Do NOT stop stirring or the candy will scorch and you have to start all over! Stir until the mixture is thick and shiny and starts to pull away from the bottom and side of the pan.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the butter until melted, completely incorporated, and smooth. Scoop into the prepared bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Once the mixture is cool, place the jimmies in a shallow bowl. Use a spring-loaded scoop to make balls about 1 tbsp big (a #100 scoop/disher with a diameter of about 1-1/8 inches works well) and drop them into the jimmies and roll around. Use your fingers to carefully pat them into balls, pressing the jimmies into the outside of each one. When completely covered, place on the parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Store any leftover candies in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Notes
* To get all the sweetened condensed milk out of the can, remove the entire top so you can scrape the sides and bottom easily.
** If you choose NOT to use bourbon or cachaca, use the whole can of milk. Cachaca is a gluten-free clear alcohol made from cane sugar and Brazil's national alcohol. For a guaranteed safe gluten-free "bourbon", use 1 tbsp potato vodka mixed with 1 tsp brown sugar. It is a close approximation and guaranteed safe for the most sensitive gluten-free people.
*** Wooden utensils do not conduct heat and are often called for in recipes when making candy or other temperature sensitive foods.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
36Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 29Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 7mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 0gSugar: 4gProtein: 0g
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First Published: 3 Apr 2017
Last Updated: 4 Nov 2019
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