Chocolate Brigadeiros: Perfect for the Holidays

There's something to be said for celebrating Christmas in the Southern Hemisphere. We in the Northern hemisphere think Santa and snow and icicles.. sleighbells and reindeer. And these same images persist in countries such as Brazil, although it's summer there. No snow in Rio. Go to the end of the post for some holiday sand sculptures. I thought for today, I'd honor a favorite Brazilian candy that's perfect for the holidays: the chocolate fudgy Brigadeiro.

My Facebook friend Jane Vana Bishop sent me a great and easy recipe. These definitely have a place on the Christmas candy/cookie tray. This recipe istraditional and non-alcoholic. Always good if the kids are around.

But if you want to add some kick to your Brigadeiros, try this 'adult' recipe that uses cacacha, the Brazilian national drink! Cacacha, a liquor made from fermented sugarcane. This recipe is from Luxury Experience using Leblon Cachaca. The Leblon distillery is in Patos de Minas in Minas Gerais, Brazil. The area has a great microclimate and high altitude and produces taller and juicier sugar cane. What makes Leblon Cachaca different from other cachacas is that Leblon uses XO Cognac casks to 'rest' the liquor for up to six months to smooth and round out the flavors. Leblon Cachaca is 40% alcohol. The following recipe is easy--and delicious. Of course you can use any brand of Cachaca you have!

CACHACA CHOCOLATE BRIGADEIROS

Ingredients 
1 14 oz. Can Sweetened Condensed Milk
2/3 Can Milk (use Sweetened Condensed Milk can as measure)
1/3 Can Leblon Cachaça (use Sweetened Condensed Milk can as measure)
2 Tablespoons Dark Cocoa
1 Tablespoon sweet Butter
1 Jar Chocolate Sprinkles (Jimmies)

Directions 
In medium pan, add sweetened condensed milk, butter, cocoa and milk, and stir well to combine. Cook over medium heat stirring with a long handled wooden spoon until mixture starts to thicken approximately 10 minutes, and then add Leblon Cachaça.
Continue stirring while cooking until chocolate mixture comes away from sides of pan and starts to look dry-- approximately 13 minutes.
Pour into bowl and let cool.
When completely cool, butter your hands, use teaspoon amount of chocolate and roll into ball, and then roll ball in chocolate sprinkles.
Complete process until all of chocolate is used.
Put candy in paper cups (or on parchment paper), and set in refrigerator until ready to eat.

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Copacabana Beach, Rio, Brazil