Brigadeiro

Method

1. 1.Put the condensed milk, cocoa powder and butter into a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat. The heavy bottom matters — condensed milk scorches in a heartbeat on thin pans, and once it burns, the batch is gone.
2. 2.Stir constantly with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula. Not occasionally, not every few seconds — constantly. The mixture will bubble gently and slowly thicken over about ten to fifteen minutes. You're looking for the point where it pulls away from the sides of the pan cleanly and you can see the bottom of the pan for a moment when you drag the spoon through.
3. 3.Scrape the mixture onto a plate or shallow dish greased with a thin film of butter. Spread it out and let it cool to room temperature, then cover with cling film and refrigerate for at least two hours until it's firm enough to handle. Rushing this step means sticky hands and misshapen balls, which still taste fine but lack the charm.
4. 4.Grease your palms lightly with butter and pinch off small spoonfuls of the mixture, about the size of a large marble. Roll each one between your palms until smooth and round.
5. 5.Pour the chocolate sprinkles onto a plate and roll each ball through them until evenly coated. Set them into small paper cases if you have them, or just onto a tray.
6. 6.Keep them in the fridge until you're ready to serve. They soften at room temperature after about twenty minutes, which is fine for eating but less fine for neat presentation. At a party, bring them out in small batches — a full tray left on the counter in a warm room will not survive long in any sense of the word.

Notes