Brigadeiros (Fudgy bites from Brazil)

Brigadeiros are "the bite-sized balls of chocolate fudge rolled in sprinkles served at birthday parties across Brazil. Delicious and unctuous, a perfect dose of sweet and goo, the succinct harmony of just three ingredients: chocolate, sweetened condensed milk and butter." Another version that we made is here (it doesn't use chocolate milk powder).

Forming the fudgy brigadeiro

NOTES from the link above    

1. If after the mixture is cooled it is still not thick enough to roll into balls, put it back in the pan and cook some more.

2. If the mixture is cooked too much and has become a hard crystallized candy, you can use it as "awesome harder chocolate fudge" or even break it into chunks and use in your regular chocolate chip cookie recipe.


INGREDIENTS

1 can (15 oz) of sweetened condensed milk
2 Tbl of cocoa powder
2 Tbl of chocolate milk powder (eg Nestle's Quik)
2 Tbl of unsalted butter, plus more for buttering the cooling dish and your hands
1-1/2 cups sprinkles or grated chocolate (nonpareils?) for rolled coating
about 30 small squares of parchment or small pleated paper cups for serving


PREPARATION

1. Butter a shallow 1-1/2-quart porcelain dish. Set aside

2. In a heavy bottomed sauce pan, put the sweetened condensed milk, cocoa, chocolate powder, and 2 Tbl of butter.  Heat on low.

3. Stir continually with a wooden spoon for about 7 min, making sure the mixture doesn't burn.

4. At the 7 minute mark, it will start to darken and get very thick, making it hard to stir.  You will also be able to see the bottom of the pan more clearly. 

5. Keep stirring for about 3 more minutes.

6. When the mixture seems more like a dough and less like a batter, it will also start to make a "schlack, schlack" sound and it will come away from the pan easily, it's done!

7. Remove from heat and continue stirring for another minute to let it cool evenly.  Stirring also helps keep the mixture from burning while still in the hot pan. (See Notes.)

8. Immediately transfer the mixture to the buttered dish and let cool.

9. Put sprinkles (shaved chocolate, nonpareils) into a separate flat dish or pie plate for rolling.

A completed brigadeiro in its cup

10. Butter your hands and place a teaspoonful of brigadeiro mixture in them. Roll into a ball and place on the prepared parchment or paper cup.  

11. Keep in airtight container for up to 3 days--if they last that long!