Cuisine is just as much an integral party of Portuguese-speaking cultures as it is of all others. The difference is that Portuguese–speaking cultures span the globe, hence the food of the Lusophone world is more varied than most. At Mar e Floresta, we make the most of that gastronomic variety by serving healthy and delicious food from four different continents. One day it might be pasta and linguiça from Portugal, the next feijoada (beef stew) from Brazil, and the day after that Rodízio de pizza. And what’s there not to like about brigadeiro (Brazilian chocolate truffles)?
Meals at Mar e Floresta are served family style and in famílias as each aldeão is a member of a family group. Nor is the opportunity to learn new vocabulary overlooked: dishes are typically introduced using fun, interactive skits and costumes. Bom apetite!
Brazilian Chocolate Truffle (Brigadeiro)
Makes about 25 balls
Ingredients
Condensed Milk:
1 can of good quality coconut milk (full fat)
3 tbs of raw honey
Brigadiero:
4 tbs raw cacao powder (unsweetened)
1 tbs butter
½ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Condensed milk:
Combine the coconut milk and honey in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until it starts to boil
Lower the heat to low and cook mixture for about 2 hours. After 2 hours the coconut condensed milk should be thick enough so that it does not run off the spoon easily and is reduced to about half.
Brigadeiro:
Raise the heat to medium and mix in the butter and cacao powder
Stir the mixture frequently until it boils, then cook for another 12 minutes approximately, scrapping the sides of the pan. This time may vary and what you are looking for is a thick and creamy consistency.
Let it cool and place it in the fridge for about 2 hours. It is important to cool it before rolling it into balls.
Remove from fridge, line your hands with butter and start rolling the chocolate into balls. You might need to add more butter to your hands in between a few rolls.
Cover each ball in cacao powder, coconut or chopped up nuts.
If you feel the chocolate is not thick enough to roll into balls place it back in the stove at medium heat and let it cook longer, then cool it in the fridge again before attempting to roll it into balls.