Name: Brigadeirão: My Go-To Brazilian Chocolate Fudge Flan
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 75 min
Ingredients: 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk (don't even think about a substitute here); 3 large eggs; 1 cup heavy cream; 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (the good stuff, please); 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or a splash of rum if you're feeling fancy); A pinch of salt (trust me, it makes the chocolate sing); Butter or cooking spray, for greasing; Chocolate sprinkles, for the classic finish

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I need to confess something. The first time I saw brigadeirão, I thought it was a mistake. It looked like someone had crossed a chocolate flan with a giant, wobbly truffle. ‘This can’t be right,’ I mumbled to myself, poking the pan. Oh, but it was. It’s the ultimate easy chocolate dessert recipe, a magically rich and creamy Brazilian treat that makes you look like a kitchen genius. My friend Ana, who’s from São Paulo, taught me this recipe one rainy afternoon. ‘In Brazil,’ she said, stirring the pot, ‘this is for birthdays, celebrations, or just because it’s Tuesday.’ It’s the fudge recipe you didn’t know you were missing, and it’s so simple it feels like cheating. You basically melt, mix, and bake. The smell that fills your kitchen is pure joy. It’s deep, chocolatey, and sweet, with a hint of caramel from the condensed milk. When you finally unmold it and see that smooth, dark dome, you’ll understand. This isn’t just a dessert. It’s a hug in pudding form.

1) Key Takeaways
2) Easy Brigadeirão Recipe
3) Ingredients for Brigadeirão
4) How to Make Brigadeirão
5) Tips for Making Brigadeirão
6) Making Brigadeirão Ahead of Time
7) Storing Leftover Brigadeirão
8) Try these Dessert Recipes next!
9) Brigadeirão
10) Nutrition

1) Key Takeaways

What does brigadeirão taste like? Imagine the fudgy, creamy heart of a truffle in pudding form. It’s rich, chocolatey, and has a melt-in-your-mouth texture that’s hard to beat.
What’s the main ingredient? A can of sweetened condensed milk is non-negotiable. It’s the soul of this dessert, creating that signature sweetness and creamy body.
What’s the one trick you can’t skip? The water bath. Baking your pan inside another pan of hot water is what guarantees a silky, custardy texture instead of a rubbery one. Don’t even think about skipping it.
How do you serve it? Chilled, covered in chocolate sprinkles, and sliced like a cake. The classic Brazilian way is with “granulado,” but any sprinkles work.

2) Easy Brigadeirão Recipe

Let’s get something straight right off the bat. This might be one of the easiest Dessert Recipes you’ll ever make. I’m serious. It has no business being this delicious for the amount of effort it asks from you.

If you can open a can, crack some eggs, and press a blender button, you’ve got this. The whole process feels a bit like magic. You dump a handful of simple things into a blender, give it a whirl, and pour out what looks like liquid silk. Then the oven does the rest of the work.

What you get is pure comfort. It’s the kind of dessert you make when you need a guaranteed win. Whether you’re feeding a crowd or just treating yourself on a tough Tuesday, this Brazilian fudge flan delivers every single time. No fancy techniques, no hard-to-find ingredients. Just straightforward, incredible flavor.

3) Ingredients for Brigadeirão

Sweetened Condensed Milk: This is the star. One full 14-ounce can. Don’t grab the evaporated milk by mistake – they’re not the same thing! This stuff gives the brigadeirão its iconic sweetness and that dense, creamy body we all love.

Eggs: Three large ones. They’re the structure, helping everything set into a sliceable pudding instead of a soup. Room temperature is best, but I’ve used them straight from the fridge in a pinch and it still worked out.

Heavy Cream: A cup of this adds luxurious richness. It balances the sweetness and makes the texture impossibly smooth. If you only have half-and-half, you can use it, but the final result won’t be quite as decadent.

Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: Half a cup of the good stuff. This is where the deep chocolate flavor comes from. I prefer a dark cocoa powder for a more grown-up taste, but any unsweetened kind works perfectly.

Vanilla Extract & Salt: A teaspoon of vanilla rounds out the chocolate flavor beautifully. And that tiny pinch of salt? It’s not optional. It cuts the sweetness just enough and makes the chocolate taste more, well, chocolatey.

For the Pan & Finish: You’ll need some butter or cooking spray to grease your bundt or cake pan. And finally, a small mountain of chocolate sprinkles (“granulado”) for the classic, festive finish.

4) How to Make Brigadeirão

Step 1. Prep Your Pan & Oven. Start by heating your oven to 350°F. Take your chosen pan – I love a bundt pan for the pretty shape – and grease it like your dessert’s escape depends on it. Butter every nook and cranny, or give it a thorough spray with cooking oil. A well-greased pan is the key to a clean release later.

Step 2. The Magical Blend. This is the easiest part. Dump the entire can of condensed milk, the eggs, heavy cream, cocoa powder, vanilla, and salt right into your blender. Put the lid on tight and let it run for a full minute or two. You want it completely smooth, with no streaks of cocoa powder left. It should look like a thick, dark chocolate milkshake.

Step 3. Pour & Set Up the Bath. Pour that gorgeous chocolate batter into your prepared pan. Give the pan a few gentle taps on the counter to bring any air bubbles to the surface. Now, place this pan inside a larger roasting pan or baking dish. Carefully pour hot water from a kettle into the larger pan until the water comes about halfway up the sides of your cake pan. This water bath is your secret weapon for a creamy texture.

Step 4. Bake & Check for Doneness. Slide the whole setup into the oven. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes. You’ll know it’s done when the top looks set and has a slight crust, but the center still has a gentle, confident jiggle when you nudge the pan. It should not be liquidy, but it shouldn’t be firm either. Think “set pudding.”

Step 5. The Crucial Cool Down. Take the pan out of the water bath and let it cool on a wire rack until it reaches room temperature. Then, cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate it. I know it’s hard, but you need to chill it for at least 4 hours, and overnight is truly ideal. This sets the structure and makes slicing clean.

Step 6. The Grand Unveiling. Run a thin, flexible knife around all the edges of the pan. Place your serving plate upside-down on top of the pan. Take a deep breath, hold everything together firmly, and flip it over with conviction. If it hesitates, a 10-second dip of the pan bottom in warm water will loosen it. Shower it with chocolate sprinkles, slice, and serve.

5) Tips for Making Brigadeirão

Let’s talk about the water bath one more time. I know it feels like an extra dish to wash, but it’s the single most important step. Baking the custard in a gentle, steamy environment prevents the eggs from curdling and guarantees that velvety, melt-in-your-mouth texture we’re after. Skipping it is the quickest way to end up with a rubbery, disappointing cake.

Greasing the pan is another step you can’t be shy about. I use softened butter and a pastry brush to get into every curve of my bundt pan. If even a small spot is dry, the brigadeirão might stick there and tear when you unmold it. A torn dessert is still a tasty dessert, but we’re aiming for that perfect, smooth dome.

Finally, patience is your best friend. Letting it chill thoroughly is non-negotiable. A warm brigadeirão will slump and ooze when you cut it. A properly chilled one holds its shape, giving you those beautiful, clean slices. If you’re really pressed for time, the freezer can help set it faster, but the fridge overnight is the gold standard.

6) Making Brigadeirão Ahead of Time

This is actually one of the best make-ahead desserts in my arsenal. In fact, I almost always make it the day before I need it. The flavor deepens and the texture becomes even more perfect after a night in the fridge.

You can complete the entire recipe up to 48 hours before serving. Bake it, let it cool, cover it tightly, and just let it hang out in the refrigerator. The only thing you should wait to do is add the sprinkles. Put those on right before you serve, or they might get a little soft and lose their crunch.

Having this ready to go in your fridge is a game-changer for entertaining. No last-minute stress, just a stunning, ready-to-serve dessert that always gets rave reviews. It’s my secret weapon for dinner parties.

7) Storing Leftover Brigadeirão

Leftovers? It’s rare in my house, but it does happen. If you have any leftover slices, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep beautifully for 4 to 5 days.

The texture might firm up a touch more over time, but it stays delicious. I don’t recommend freezing it, as the custard can become grainy and separate when thawed. It’s best enjoyed fresh from the fridge.

If the exposed cut sides look dry after a day or two, you can cover the whole thing with a fresh layer of plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface. This helps keep it moist.

8) Try these Dessert Recipes next!

9) Brigadeirão