Chocolate Bonbons Brigadeiros Brazil Recipes

Steps:

• In medium pan, combine milk and cocoa powder. Cook over low, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan, about 20 minutes. Add butter and salt. Mix thoroughly before removing from heat.
• When mixture is cool, rub hands with butter and shape into 1-inch balls. Roll in chocolate sprinkles. Place in mini paper cupcake forms.
• Store in fridge until served.

Steps:

• In a heavy saucepan mix chocolate with condensed milk and add the margarine. Cook in low heat stirring constantly until you can see the bottom of the pan. Continue to stir for another two minutes. Pour onto a plate and let cool completely before you form the little balls (I usually leave it in the cupboard until next day). Butter your hands slightly to form the little balls. Roll the balls in chocolate powder or jimmies and put them in small paper cups.
• A little cultural note: Have you noticed how many Brazilian recipes are made with condensed milk? It came to Brazil from Switzerland over a hundred years ago. It's made by Nestlé and because the label featured the picture of a milkmaid, the cans became known as the "maid milk' and that's what condensed milk is called to this day (Leite Moça).

Steps:

• If using store-bought condensed milk, skip to Step 2. If making the sweetened condensed milk from scratch, add the milk and sugar to a large saucepan. Heat over medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally and scraping the sides and bottom of the pan with a spatula, for about 30 to 40 minutes. When the milk reduces to about 1 3/4 cups, thickens to a syrup texture and turns slightly yellow, it is ready.
• Prepare the brigadeiros: Melt the butter in a heavy skillet over low heat. Add the condensed milk, cocoa powder and salt, and whisk until no trace of cocoa remains, about 5 minutes.
• Turn the heat up to medium, and use a heatproof spatula to stir the mixture constantly until it becomes thick and shiny and pulls away from the bottom of the pan as a mass when you drag the spatula across it, about 7 minutes. If you're not sure the mixture is ready, take 1/2 teaspoon of it and run it under cold water. When it's cool enough to touch, squish it with your fingers - it should be the texture of a soft and fudgy caramel.
• Scrape all of the mixture onto a piece of parchment paper, and let it cool down until it's easy to handle, about 30 minutes. Lightly butter your hands, and use them to shape a scant tablespoon of the mixture into a ball or rough cube, then roll it in the sprinkles. Place each one on a paper wrapper, if you like. The brigadeiros will keep in the fridge for 1 week, or in the freezer for 1 month. Serve chilled or at room temperature.