Nuts, Seeds & Pastes
Brigadeiro in gelato
Brigadeiro is a Brazilian confection made by slow-cooking sweetened condensed milk with unsweetened cocoa powder and a little butter into a dense fudge. In gelato it works as a sweet, dairy-rich chocolate paste or ripple that contributes sugars, milk solids and cocoa flavor.
Balancing parameters
Per 100 g of product, verified against independent food-science sources (listed below).
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Total Solids | 84.4% |
| Water | 15.6% |
| Sugars | 43.2% |
| Fat | 14.2% |
| MSNF | 21.5% |
| Protein | 9.3% |
| POD (sweetening power) | 45 |
| PAC (anti-freezing power) | 54.7 |
Typical use: About 5-15% of the mix, used as a flavor paste or as a swirled variegate.
Balance brigadeiro in a real recipe
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Open the balancerHow to use it in gelato
Because brigadeiro is essentially concentrated sweetened condensed milk, it is very high in sugars and milk solids (MSNF around 21%), so it raises both POD (sweetening power near 45, sucrose=100) and PAC (anti-freezing power near 55) strongly, softening the finished gelato and improving scoopability. Use it as a swirled variegate or as a Brazilian-style chocolate flavor base, and reduce the recipe's other added sugars and skim-milk powder to compensate. Its cocoa and milk proteins add body while the moderate (~14%) fat lends creaminess. Keep dosing modest to avoid an overly soft, sticky, over-sweet mix.
Origin & background
The brigadeiro was created in Brazil in the mid-1940s and named after Brigadier Eduardo Gomes, an Air Force officer who ran in the 1945 presidential election. Sweetened condensed milk and cocoa were affordable, shelf-stable staples during the postwar years, which helped the candy spread quickly across the country. It remains Brazil's most iconic party sweet.
Frequently asked questions
Sources
- https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/171275/nutrients
- https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/169593/nutrients
- https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/173430/nutrients
- https://www.thekitchn.com/brigadeiro-recipe-23281035
- https://foods.fatsecret.com/calories-nutrition/generic/brigadeiro
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brigadeiro