Brigadeiro

Brigadeiro is condensed milk, butter and cocoa powder cooked down together into a thick fudge, rolled into small balls and coated in chocolate sprinkles. It sits at the centre of Brazilian celebration food, and no birthday party is considered properly stocked without a tray of them — the name reportedly comes from a Brazilian air force brigadier the sweet was named after in the 1940s.

What it really is

Condensed milk, butter and cocoa powder simmer together in a pan, stirred constantly, until the mixture thickens enough that a spatula pulled through it briefly shows the bottom of the pan before the fudge flows back together — that visual cue is the standard test for doneness, more reliable than a fixed cooking time. Once cooled enough to handle, the fudge rolls into small balls, each one coated completely in chocolate sprinkles (granulado) for the classic version, though colourful sprinkles and other coatings are common for parties.

Getting the cooking time right is the entire skill. Undercooked, brigadeiro is too soft to roll into a ball; overcooked, it turns hard and grainy once cooled — the brief window where the mixture pulls cleanly from the pan is exactly when it needs to come off the heat.

How it's served

• Cold or at room temperature, in small individual paper cups.
• As a party sweet, especially at birthdays, alongside cake rather than instead of it.
• Sometimes as a filling or topping for cakes rather than rolled into individual balls.

How to write it on the menu

• Flag the dairy.
• It's naturally vegetarian.
• Say what coating is used, since chocolate sprinkles are classic but other versions exist.