Coconut Milk Brigadeiro
Brazil's favourite party sweet, made dairy-free — cocoa, coconut milk and a touch of coconut oil cooked down to a thick, fudgy paste, rolled into balls and coated in chocolate sprinkles.
About this dish
The classic brigadeiro is sweetened condensed milk, cocoa and butter, cooked until it pulls cleanly away from the pan — named, the story goes, after Brigadier Eduardo Gomes, whose 1945 presidential campaign handed these out at rallies. He lost the election; the candy won anyway. This version swaps the dairy for coconut milk and coconut oil, which behave almost identically under heat, so the same unmistakable fudgy pull survives the substitution.
- Vegan
- Gluten-free
- Lactose-free
Ingredients
- 400mlFull-fat coconut milk
- 150gCaster sugar
- 50gUnsweetened cocoa powder
- 30gCoconut oil
- 100gChocolate sprinkles
Instructions
Combine the coconut milk, sugar, cocoa powder and coconut oil in a saucepan over medium heat and stir until smooth, about 2 minutes.
2 minTip: Whisk it smooth before it heats through — cocoa powder clumps stubbornly once the liquid around it starts to thicken.
Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens enough that you can see the bottom of the pan for a second when you drag the spoon through it, about 10 minutes.
10 minTip: That glimpse of pan bottom is the one reliable sign it's ready — pull it too soon and the brigadeiro never sets firm enough to roll.
Let it cool until comfortable to handle, grease your palms with a little coconut oil, roll into small balls, and coat each one in chocolate sprinkles.
8 minTip: Greased hands, not floured — flour dulls the shine and leaves a dusty film; coconut oil keeps the surface glossy.