Are you familiar with this Brazilian dessert?

[adrianna!!]

My MIL gave me a "recipe" for this dessert. It isn't really a "dessert", but a popular sweet to bring to pot lucks and parties. I put recipe in quotes because she didn't give me exact amounts. She was at a party, and a Brazilian girl brought these and said they are very common in Brazil. Gee, I don't even know what to call them...does anyone know the name for these?

Large seedless grapes
1 can sweetened condensed milk,
2 TBSP butter
colored sugar

Put condensed milk in pan with the butter and cook over medium until it becomes thick and pulls away from the sides. Put in pie plate until it cools. Mold thickened condensed milk around grapes, then roll in colored sugar. Put in mini muffin papers and refigerate overnight.

Doesn't that sound like a cool thing to take to a party? She said they look like little jewels. You could do red and green for Christmas, black and orange for halloween,,,you get the idea!
So has anyone ever heard of these? What are they called and do you have any tips to making them that I am leaving out?

[funnybone]

I have never heard of such a dessert, but out of curiousity I did a search and found this. Maybe you could use it as a guideline for quantities since you do roll the mixture.



Brigadeiro

1 can sweetened condensed milk -- (395g)
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 tablespoon butter -- sof
1 package chocolate sprinkles

In a heavy saucepan, mix the milk, cocoa and butter. Stir to dissolve the chocolate. Put over low heat and stir constantly with a wooden spoon. Continue stirring and cooking until you are able to see the bottom of the pot when you tilt the pan(the mixture will just slide quickly). This should take 10-12 minutes. Transfer to a greased plate. Let cool. Butter your hands and roll the mixture into small balls and roll over the chocolate sprinkles.

Variations: you can substitute the cocoa powder for 100g baking chocolate. If you want a lighter candy use powdered chocolate(such as quick). You can also put raisins or nuts in the center of the candy. You can decorate with powdered sugar instead, or cocoa powder.

[adrianna!!]

Thank you! That does help. Especially with the time to cook the condensed milk and to put it on a greased plate!

[adrianna!!]

I just "googled" the word "brigadeiro" and got a lot of info! Apparently, it is named for a poltician in Brazil from the 1920's (he actually ran for president in the 1940's) named Brigadeiro Eduardo Gomes. Apparently he was tall, handsome and single so this dessert was created by ladies who liked him. I thought the history was interesting so I wanted to share...I can't wait to make these for a party!

[Aninha]

Hi Adrianna!
I am brazilian, and the desert you mentioned is actually a variation of the brigadeiro. (kind of a white brigadeiro)
Normally people will add green food coloring to the condensed milk mixture, and then put green grapes inside. Or use purple food coloring and use the purple grapes inside.
Ah, and since the mixture is already colored you would just roll the balls in white sugar - a more granular variety though.(no need to be colored sugar - at least the ones I have eaten were made this way!)
They sure look nice and tastes even better!
By the way, have you already tried the "brigadeiros"??? It is soooo good!
Ana

[adrianna!!]

I haven't tried any type of brigadeiro yet...my MIL just told me about the grape one recently and while I can't wait to try it, I am trying to wait for a special occasion that I can take them to...I am afraid I will eat them all if I have them around the house!

I think it is interesting that people use food coloring in the actual condensed milk mixture. That sounds pretty, too!

Thanks for sharing your knowledge!

[MKSquared]

I love this BB. :) Thanks for all the information, you guys. :)

[Kathy B]

I wonder if this would work with the lowfat sweetened condensed milk.
What do you think?

[Aninha]

Kathy, it does work! I have made brigadeiro many times with the lowfat sweetened condensed milk!
The only thing that might happen is that the condensed milk might be a little thinner (than the full fat varitey) and it will take a little longer to thicken.
Ana

[Kathy B]

Thanks, Aninha! It sounds like something that would be fun to try. How long do they keep in the refrigerator? And which kind is your favorite? Also, how many does one recipe make? Thanks again!

[Aninha]

Kathy, I really like brigadeiro! You know... chocolate!!!
The grape bon bon is also very good!
For the brigadeiros, depending on the size you roll the balls you can get about 30 from a single recipe.
Brigadeiros are always made for birthday parties, and we make them rather small!
I have some pictures from my son first birthday that have the brigadeiros around the cake, I can send you if you want me too, so that you can have a better idea of how they should look like!
Or someone can explain me how to post a picture here! I have tried it twice and can't get it posted...
Ana

Edited to say: you can make the bridadeiros and freeze them in airthight containers, they will keep frozen up to a month. Normally for parties I will make them and not even refrigerate, you can leave them at room temperature. I would believe that they would keep in the fridge for about 5 days or so, but I have never had them sitting around that long!! To be true, when we just want to have some brigadeiro we will make it, let it cool in a plate, and when cool eat straight from the plate, no need to roll them into balls. They are great eaten with a spoon!!

[Kathy B]

Thanks! I thought the chocolate ones sounded good, too. I may try those first. I am thinking that since they are molded around a grape, the size should be just a little larger than a grape. I'll do it that way, and see how many I get. (I don't know how to post a picture either! :( ) I'll let you know how they turn out...