Brigadeiro

I think it's about time to talk about brigadeiros here.

Usually I try to stay away from the clichés, and try different flavor combinations or give a try to a new technique. But there are some things that are just part of your life and you just cannot let it go. I'm afraid to say that brigadeiro is one of them.

You probably heard about it for the first time in some Brazilian bakery close to your friend or had it in a party thrown by some of your Brazilian friends. I bet that all of them speak of it as if it was the best thing in the world -- and you're probably still wondering what's so special about it.

The thing is, brigadeiro is by far the most popular party sweet in Brazil. That basically means that every kids' birthday, every special occasion, and I wouldn't be exaggerating to say that even weddings feature it. This way, brigadeiros can bring great memories to us every time we eat it. And that's why some people are crazy about it.

I obviously like it very much, but I have to admit it is some sort of acquired taste. Because I know, and I agree that it's just too sweet. More recently, even in Brazil, people are starting to revitalize the brigadeiro by adding other ingredients than just cocoa powder. To be honest, even cocoa powder is a sort of "gourmetization" of the recipe, since the original ones call for instant chocolate powder (that is, as you may have realized, even sweeter).

The recipe itself is pretty simple and call for only three ingredients. The key factor here is how you cook it, and to which point. Most Brazilians will know how to make it by heart, but I wanted to show you how to get flawless results each time. But in general, you cook longer to be able to roll it as a truffle, and less if you want to use it as a spread (or as a cake filling, for example).

You can substitute the cocoa powder with other ingredients to make different types of this sweet. The most popular versions are with shredded coconut (beijinho), ground peanuts (cajuzinho) or ground walnuts (camafeu), but I've tasted some made with ground pistachio, salted caramel sauce, lime juice and passion fruit that were absolutely amazing.