Brigadeiro – Brazilian Condensed Milk Truffles

Name: Brigadeiro – Brazilian Condensed Milk Truffles
Prep time: 20 min
Yield: Approx. 20 pieces
Ingredients: 300 g Condensed milk, sweetened; 18 g Butter; 35 g Cocoa powder; 100 g Chocolate strands; 300 g Condensed milk, sweetened; 18 g Butter; 35 g Cocoa powder; 100 g Chocolate strands

Brigadeiros coated in chocolate strands, arranged in white chocolate capsules

Three ingredients, one pan – and pure indulgence

20 min. active Easy ↓ To the recipe

QuantityApprox. 20 pieces

Active time20 minutes

Total timeApprox. 1 hr.

contains lactose

Brigadeiro may not be all that well known here, but once you've tried them you'll certainly understand why they are so popular. Originating in Brazil, these sweets are simple to make, need just three ingredients and are pure indulgence. For looks, these little balls of condensed milk and cocoa are rolled in chocolate strands and set into pretty chocolate capsules. Taste-wise, they're reminiscent of those chocolate-coated caramel toffees that practically pull your teeth out.

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Ingredients

Quantity:

Brigadeiros

300 gCondensed milk, sweetened

18 gButter

35 gCocoa powder

100 gChocolate strands

Step by step

If you're in a hurry: the compact recipe card further down sums it all up.

Making the brigadeiro

Heat condensed milk and butter

Put the sweetened condensed milk into a pan together with the butter and heat the mixture. As soon as the butter has melted and dissolved into the condensed milk, you can add the cocoa powder.

Sweetened condensed milk and butter melting in the pan

Cocoa powder being added to the hot condensed milk

What you need for this

Boil down for 2 to 3 minutes

Stir in the cocoa powder well and boil the mixture down while stirring constantly until it becomes thicker and more viscous — this takes about 2 to 3 minutes. Really stir the whole time, otherwise the condensed milk will burn.

Cocoa powder being stirred in with the whisk

The brigadeiro mixture simmers and thickens

Let cool for 30 minutes

Transfer the thick mixture onto a plate and spread it out with a rubber scraper. Cover it directly on the surface with cling film and let it cool in the fridge for about 30 minutes. Place the film right onto the mixture — that way no skin forms.

Warm brigadeiro mixture being transferred onto a plate

Mixture being smoothed out with the rubber scraper

Shape the balls

For this step we recommend gloves. Take the cooled brigadeiro mixture out of the fridge and scoop out pieces of about 15 g using two teaspoons. Roll them into round balls between your hands. If you don't have gloves, rub your hands with a little oil — otherwise it gets too sticky.

Pieces being scooped from the mixture with two teaspoons

A brigadeiro ball being rolled between the hands

Roll in chocolate strands

Put the finished ball into a bowl with the chocolate strands and roll it around until the sweet is completely coated. Set the finished brigadeiros into chocolate capsules — and enjoy them!

Ball being placed into a bowl with chocolate strands

Brigadeiro being fully coated in sprinkles

Finished brigadeiros in white chocolate capsules

Compact · for printing

Brigadeiro

QuantityApprox. 20 pieces

Active time20 minutes

Total timeApprox. 1 hr.

DifficultyEasy

Baking temperatureNo baking

Baking time/

Ingredients

Quantity:

Brigadeiros

300 gCondensed milk, sweetened 18 gButter 35 gCocoa powder 100 gChocolate strands

↑ Detailed instructions with images

Preparation

Heat: Melt 300 g condensed milk with 18 g butter in the pan.
Cocoa: Stir in 35 g cocoa powder, boil down for 2–3 min. while stirring.
Cool: Spread onto a plate, lay film directly on top, chill for 30 min.
Shape: Scoop out about 15 g with two teaspoons and roll into balls.
Roll: Roll in chocolate strands and set into chocolate capsules.

Nutritional values per 100 g

429kcal

10.9 gFat

83.8 gCarbohydrates

3.1 gProtein

Storage & shelf life

The finished brigadeiros keep for up to a week in an airtight box in the fridge. Take them out about 30 minutes before eating so they come up to room temperature — cold, they taste noticeably less good.

Everything for this recipe

Recommended from our bakery — exactly the sizes the recipe was tested with.

Ingredients

Chocolate strands, 90 g

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Cocoa powder, 1 kg

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Cocoa powder Black, 1 kg

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Accessories

Chocolate capsules Brown, 100 pieces

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Whisk 25 cm

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Delivery in 1–2 working days · Free shipping from CHF 100

Nice alongside

Not needed for the recipe — but it fits.

Chocolate capsules Retro, 100 pieces

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Chocolate capsules Colourful, 200 pieces

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Chocolate capsules Gold, 180 pieces

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Chocolate capsules Silver, 180 pieces

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Chocolate capsules Red, 200 pieces

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Chocolate capsules Black, 200 pieces

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Chocolate capsules White, 200 pieces

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Whisk 30 cm

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So they're guaranteed to succeed

Rebecca's secret tip: warm from the plate

If you can't wait for the mixture to cool: spread the warm brigadeiro mixture onto a plate, sieve a little milk powder over it and spoon it up while still lukewarm. Pure indulgence – promise!

Don't stop stirring

The two to three minutes on the stove are the only point where something can go wrong: sweetened condensed milk burns quickly, and once burnt the whole mixture tastes bitter. Stir continuously and stay by the pan.

Film directly on the mixture

Cover the mixture in the fridge with cling film that actually touches the surface. If the film sits over the plate instead of on the mixture, a firm skin forms and the balls get lumpy.

Frequently asked questions

Yes, and that's no small thing: the sugar is what makes the mixture mouldable in the first place. With unsweetened condensed milk it stays liquid no matter how long you stir — the recipe then doesn't work.

Because it's meant to — it's caramel. Put on gloves and the balls roll without fuss. Without gloves, rub your hands with a little oil and work quickly; if the mixture is in contact with warm hands for too long, it softens again.

Of course. Classic is chocolate strands — a 90 g pack is just enough for the roughly 20 balls, with two you're on the safe side. Chopped nuts, desiccated coconut or cocoa powder work just as well. The only important thing is to roll the ball right after shaping it — later nothing sticks anymore.