Indulgence, tradition, and a taste of Brazil’s rich culinary heritage are waiting for you as we delve into this Extra Bitter Chocolate Brigadeiro Recipe. As a Brazilian native and passionate food writer, I am thrilled to share yet another recipe in my collection that holds a cherished spot in my heart.
Watch a step-by-step video of this recipe HERE.
A World of Brigadeiros:
Brigadeiros, the sweet delight that transcends generations, come in various flavors, each offering a unique experience to your taste buds. You’ll find the classic chocolate brigadeiro recipe in my cookbooks, a timeless favorite that remains unbeatable in its simplicity and richness. For those seeking something different, my recipes include coconut and pistachio brigadeiros, adding a tropical twist and a delightful nutty crunch to the velvety treat. To promote health-conscious choices, I also crafted a recipe for Healthy Brigadeiro, made with coconut-sweetened condensed milk and rolled in cocoa nibs, satisfying your sweet cravings without guilt, featured in my third cookbook, Latin Superfoods.
But the love for brigadeiros goes beyond the printed pages of my cookbooks. My passion for this Brazilian delicacy has found its way into food magazines, where I’ve shared my recipes with fellow food enthusiasts in publications like Fine Cooking and Bon Appetit.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
Today, I am excited to introduce you to my latest creation: the Extra Bitter Chocolate Brigadeiro Recipe. In this version, I’ve opted for extra bitter chocolate, a natural pair for the sweetened condensed milk. This recipe is ideal for anyone who appreciates the true essence of cocoa without overwhelming sweetness.
The Key To This Recipe:
Mastering the cooking process is the key to crafting the perfect Extra Bitter Chocolate Brigadeiro Recipe. Striking the delicate balance between undercooking and overcooking is essential. When undercooked, the fudge will fail to hold its shape, falling flat and looking unappealing. On the other hand, overcooking results in a toffee-like texture, making the candy too hard to enjoy. Achieving the ideal consistency is a matter of practice, and the effort is undoubtedly rewarded with a mouthwatering treat.
The Chocolate:
Using a high percentage of chocolate in this recipe is essential to balance the sweetened condensed milk. The higher cocoa content of 70% Callebaut produces less sugar, allowing the chocolate’s natural complexities to shine. The percentage represents the number of cocoa solids and cocoa butter present in the chocolate, with the remaining portion being comprised of sugar and, in some cases, a small amount of other ingredients like lecithin (milk solids) and vanilla for added flavor.
The Sprinkles:
Now, let’s explore the delightful ways to cover your Brigadeiros. Regarding chocolate sprinkles, I urge you to avoid ordinary varieties that often contain vegetable fat. For an elevated experience, I highly recommend Cacao Barry Chocolate Decorating Paillettes Fins from Olive Nation. While this choice may come at a higher price, the depth of flavor and texture it imparts to your Brigadeiros are truly unmatched. However, explore other coverture options that enhance the candy’s taste without unwanted greasy aftertaste. Consider nuts, toasted coconut, shaved chocolate, or chocolate vermicelli.
The Size Of Your Brigadeiro:
Of course, you can use a simple spoon, a teaspoon, or a melon baller. But over the years, after rolling hundreds of thousands of Brigadeiro’s, I loved the small ice cream scoop. They come in various sizes, each designed to serve different purposes. I bought mine at JB Prince.
The Candy Cups:
I love to use glassine candy paper for my Extra Bitter Chocolate Brigadeiro Recipe. That’s because glassine is a smooth and glossy paper resistant to grease and moisture, making it ideal for lining cupcakes, muffins, and confections. Its non-stick properties ensure that the candy easily releases from the cups. I buy them at Glerup Revere Packaging.
Storage:
It’s complicated, but stay with me, and I’ll walk you through it. You can make the batch for the brigadeiro up to 1 week ahead of time and leave the batter packed, wrapped in plastic film, and unrolled up to 7 days ahead of time in the refrigerator. Once you roll the brigadeiros, they crystalize faster, about five days. When the brigadeiros are rolled, you should keep them in the fridge, but eat them at room temperature. They will preserve at room temperature for two days in excellent quality.
As we embark on this sweet journey together, be assured that my exploration of Brigadeiros has just begun. More recipes and delightful twists await you in the future, so stay tuned for further delectable surprises.
Watch a step-by-step video of this recipe HERE.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I leave my Brigadeiro at room temperature?
You can. If you know, you’ll eat them within 1-2 days. If you’d like to save them, place them in the refrigerator but bring them to room temperature about 1 hour before eating them.
My brigadeiros are too hard, more life toffee candy. What happened?
You probably overcooked the fudge.
How should I serve by Brigadeiros?
They’re like a box of truffles. You don’t need to serve with anything. Although, a little sweet wine like Chateau d’Yquem would be a great match. A Port wine also makes a great pairing with brigadeiros.
How do I prevent brigadeiros from sticking to the pot while cooking?
Brigadeiro is chocolate fudge; like any fudge, it should stick to the pot while cooking. Although you must keep stirring the fudge constantly, it will leave a sticky layer on the bottom. You don’t want to scrape that because it will be like burnt fudge. Slice the batter into a ramekin as soon as the fudge reaches the right consistency, then pour some hot water into the pan so that it’s easier to clean.
Can I make Brigadeiros without cocoa powder?
Yes, you can, but the one teaspoon of cocoa powder enhances the chocolate flavor in this recipe even more.
Can I freeze brigadeiros, and how should I thaw them?
Although you can freeze them, the freezing temperature does not prevent the sugar from crystallizing. Whether unrolled or rolled, frozen brigadeiros do not taste the same as fresh brigadeiros. They will turn good, but they won’t taste fresh.
Are there any dairy-free alternatives for making brigadeiros?
Yes, in my Latin Superfoods cookbook, I included a Healthy Brigadeiros that uses sweetened condensed milk made from coconut milk.
If you like this recipe, you might also enjoy:
One Final Word…
I’m so happy that you visited today. Thanks for reading and browsing my site. Make sure to share this story with someone who cares about this topic.
I’d love to know what you think about this article. Please send an email.
You can buy my cookbooks on Amazon: Latin Superfoods is my latest cookbook, I’m also the author of The Brazilian Kitchen and My Rio de Janeiro: A Cookbook.
Visit my YouTube Chanel @LeticiaMoreinosSchwartz.
The easiest and most impactful thing you can do to support is to subscribe to my newsletter and to my channel on YouTube. And of course, tell your friends about it.
I’d love to connect with you on social media:
Instagram @LeticiaMoreinosSchwartz
Twitter @ChefLeticia
Facebook @ChefLeticiaHealthyCooking
LinkedIn @LeticiaMoreinosSchwartz
See you next time,
Leticia
You can watch a step-by-step of this recipe HERE.
Extra Bitter Chocolate Brigadeiro Recipe
Makes about 20 balls
Ingredients:
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon heavy cream
2.8 oz (80g) chocolate Callebeaut 70%
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil for hands
- In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, place the condensed milk, butter, and heavy cream, and bring to a boil over medium heat.
- When the mixture starts to bubble, add the chocolate and cocoa powder; whisk well, making sure there are no pockets of cocoa powder.
- Reduce the heat to low, and cook, whisking constantly, until it reaches the consistency of a dense fudgy batter, about 8 to 10 minutes. You want the mixture to bubble like lava towards the end, so it’s important to use low heat or the sides of the pan will burn the fudge. If you undercook, the brigadeiro will be too soft and may not hold its shape; if you overcook it, it will be chewy, more like a caramel candy. You know it is done when you swirl the pan around and the whole mixture slides as one soft piece, leaving a thick burnt residue on the bottom of the pan.
- Slide the mixture into a bowl or flat ramekin. Don’t scrape the pan—you don’t want to integrate any of the burned batter that stayed on the bottom of the pan. Let the mixture cool at room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight.
- Using a small ice cream scoop (or a teaspoon), scoop the mixture and roll each into a little ball about ¾-inch in diameter (about the size of a chocolate truffle). I like to add a drop of vegetable oil in my hands to roll them easier.
- Place the chocolate sprinkles in a shallow bowl. Pass 4 to 6 brigadeiros at a time through the sprinkles, making sure it sticks and covers the entire outside surface. Repeat with all brigadeiros and place them inside small candy cups.
