Brigadeirao is an easy family-size chocolate fudge flan made in the blender and baked in 40 minutes. It's gluten-free, rich, fudgy, and addictive!!!
If brigadeiro is THE THING, just imagine a brigadeirão -- a family-size brigadeiro.
Goodness, my mouth is watering like crazy just thinking about it! 🙂
When I told one of my daughters that I was going to make brigadeirao, her face totally lit up.
I have to confess -- mine did, too! It's fudgy and so addictive!
On top of that, it's easy to prepare. All we have to do is to blend a few ingredients in the blender and then bake in a ring pan for about 40 minutes.
It requires no special cooking skills, yet is a hit among people of all ages.
The secret is in the quality of the cocoa powder that you use and of course, in being careful not to overbake it. And that's all!
Unlike a caramel flan, brigadeirao requires no caramel or tempering of yolks. 😉
Well are you ready for your new fave dessert?
Table of Contents
HOW TO MAKE BRIGADEIRAO (BRAZILIAN CHOCOLATE FUDGE FLAN)
Preheat the oven to 350º F (180º C). Grease a 8-inch (20 cm) ring pan with butter or cooking spray. Sprinkle sugar all over; set aside.
Blend all ingredients (except the sprinkles.) in a blender until smooth. Pour mixture into the prepared pan.
Bake in a bain-Marie for about 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, run a knife the edge around carefully, and place on a rack to cool.
Remove from the oven, run a knife around the edge gently, and place on a rack to cool.
Then, cover and refrigerate for about at least 4 hours, or until chilled and set.
Last, run a knife around again and invert onto a plate. You may have to tap bottom of the pan to encourage unmolding.
Serve chilled with chocolate sprinkles on top. If desired, drizzle chocolate fudge on the edges.
For a vegan brigadeirao recipe, click here.
What Is a Bain-Marie?
Bain-marie (or Mary's Bath) is the French term for a 'hot water bath' or double boiler, and it's used for cooking custards, creating gentle, uniform heat around the food.
Its creation is credited to the alchemist, Mary the Jewess.
Bain-Marie Method
It's a simple method!
Pour boiling water into a larger baking dish and then place ring pan inside.
Make sure water comes about halfway up the sides of the ring pan.
If you don’t have enough boiling water, just add hot tap water instead, making sure to not splash any into the custard.
Did you know that flans as well as cheesecakes fall into the category of custards?!
How Do You Pronounce Brigadeirao?
Here is one way to get close to the Portuguese pronunciation: if you say "bree-ga-day-ROWN" using rolled r's.
Even better, don't actually touch the roof of your mouth or teeth with the tip of your tongue when it comes time for the N in ROWN-- just bring it very close.
Repeat several times and you'll get the hang of it. Or if you want, you could call this treat Big Brigadeiro or Giant Brigadeiro! It's all good!
Brigadeirao Ingredients
Although there are variations, its main ingredients are sweetened condensed milk, milk, cocoa powder, eggs, sugar, and chocolate sprinkles.
How to Store Brigadeirao
Store brigadeirao covered in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Do not freeze! Why? This is a large flan and most flans don't freeze well.
But if you'd like to give it a try (at your own risk):
- Adjust your freezer to 0 degrees F and cut cool brigadeirao into quarters.
- Then, seal in freezer plastic bags for storing up to 1 month.
- Thaw in the fridge and serve.
Serving Occasions
Serve brigadeirao all year round.
It makes a great dessert for potlucks, get-together, Sunday meals as well as for Easter and Christmas depending on how you decorate it.
Other Chocolate Desserts
Triple Brigadeiro Cheesecake Tart
Also, find out everything you ever wanted to know about brigadeiro here.
PIN & ENJOY!
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Brigadeirao (Brazilian Chocolate Fudge Flan)
Ingredients
- 28 oz sweetened condensed milk (or two 14-oz cans)
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs at room temperature
- ¼ cup chocolate sprinkles good quality
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º F (180º C). Grease a 8-inch (20 cm) ring pan with butter or no stick cooking spray. Sprinkle sugar all over. Set aside.
- Blend all ingredients (except the sprinkles.) in a blender until smooth. Pour mixture into the prepared pan. Bake in a bain-Marie for about 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, run a knife the edge around carefully, and place on a rack to cool.
- Cover and refrigerate for about at least 4 hours, or until chilled and set. Run a knife around again and invert onto a plate. You may have to tap bottom of the pan to encourage unmolding.
- Serve with chocolate sprinkles on top. If desired, drizzle chocolate fudge on the edges.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
- BAIN-MARIE: Place hot water in a large baking pan and place ring pan inside. Make sure water comes halfway up the side of the pan.
- Store brigadeirao covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Do not freeze! Why? This is a large flan and most flans don't freeze well. But if you'd like to give it a try (at your own risk):
- Adjust your freezer to 0 degrees F and cut cool brigadeirao into quarters.
- Then, wrap in freezer plastic bags for storing up to 1 month.
- Thaw in the fridge and serve.
- Serve brigadeirao all year round. It makes a great dessert for potlucks, get-togethers, or Sunday meals, as well as for Easter and Christmas, depending on how you decorate it.
- ★ Did you make this recipe? Please, give it a star rating below!!
Nutrition
** Nutrition labels on easyanddelish.com are for educational purposes only. This info is provided as a courtesy and is only an estimate, since the nutrition content of recipes can vary based on ingredient brand or source, portion sizes, recipe changes/variations, and other factors. We suggest making your own calculations using your preferred calculator, based on which ingredients you use, or consulting with a registered dietitian to determine nutritional values more precisely.
Please note that health-focused and diet information provided on easyanddelish.com is for educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice, nor is it intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. Consult with your doctor or other qualified health professional prior to initiating any significant change in your diet or exercise regimen, or for any other issue necessitating medical advice.
Brian says
Made this twice. Takes longer than 40 minutes to get it cooked to set. Liquid if you follow the directions.
Denise Browning says
Hi Brian! It may be liquid in your oven because in mine it takes 40-45 minutes to bake and set completely.
Lynn says
The first time I made this it was delicious. I made this yesterday for my canasta group for today. It NEVER firmed up! I made it the exact way I did the first time. What the heck happened??? I don't understand. At 10:00 last night I was making a chocolate cream pie to replace it. Please explain what went wrong.
Denise Browning says
Hi Lynn! If it never firmed up it was because the flan was not fully cooked. The baking time stated in the recipe is a guideline. It works well in my oven but ovens in general present variations in temperature. The flan is fully cooked when it is set on top and slightly jiggly before you take it off the oven. After cooling completely, it has to be chilled. If you used a different size baking pan or one that has no hole in the center (ring pan), the baking time will not be the same. Smaller pans make deeper batters and take more time to bake the flan. If the pan has no hole in the center, it will take more time to cook the center of the flan. If you did not use boiling water in a larger pan for the bain-marie and the water was not halfway up the flan pan, it will take longer to cook. All these affect the baking time and final consistency of the flan although you used the same ingredients and measurements. I hope this helps you understand what went wrong.
Nancy Conway says
Absolutly delish! Seved it to a group and they loved it. Best of all, it's gluten free so everyone in the group could enjoy it.
Denise Browning says
Hi Nancy! I am so glad everyone could eat it and enjoyed our brigadeirao recipe. Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!
Linda says
How long would you cook it if you made half a recipe?
Denise Browning says
Linda, more than the amount of batter, the baking time will depend on the size of your baking pan.
If you are making half of the recipe and use the same size ring pan that I used, it will bake it about half of the time. But if you make half of the recipe and use a small ring baking pan, it may take 35-45 minutes for baking. The baking time depends on how deep or shallow the batter spread into the pan. Smaller pans tend to hold a high or deep batter, while large pans tend to hold a short or not-so-deep batter. The deeper the batter in the pan, the more time will take to bake and the taller will be the flan after baking. Make sense? Another thing, in any case if using a baking pan that has to ring or hole in the center, it will take more time to bake in the middle.
Angela says
Hi! Sounds delicious! Do you think a bundt pan would work for this?
Denise Browning says
Yes! But be aware that if your bundt pan has many design corners, it may get stuck on one of them and make it difficult to unmold without the flan breaking apart in some of those corners. Straight ring pans work best, but you can make it on bundt pans. Make sure to grease the entire pan extremely well!
Elaine says
Hi, Denise, One important piece of info that I should have mentioned; the tube pan has a removable bottom. The Brigadeirao is in the oven right now, but some of it leaked out of the bottom of the pan. Fortunately, I had the forethought to wrap the bottom of the pan with two layers of aluminum foil before I filled it and placed it in the bain-marie I am hoping I will be able to salvage some of this dessert. I will let you know!
Leigh says
I have small custard pots, how do I adjust the cooking time to make individual flans? I assume I would still use a water bath.
Denise Browning says
Hi Leigh! Yes, you still use a water bath to cook this brigadeirao in your custard pots. The process is exactly the same. If your custard pots are about 6 to 8 ounces, it will take at least 25-35 minutes for this flan to be ready. More than the time, you should look for consistency. The dessert is ready when it is fully set and slightly jiggly. Make sure to let the flan cool and chill.
Tanya says
I love me a chocolate flan. Tried it at a cafe called Paul’s many many years ago. I fell in love. They stopped making it a week later and I have never found a chocolate flan anywhere and I travel alot. I tried this recipe last night and even though I had only 1/2 cup of cocoa, I used 1 cup of sweetened drinking chocolate powder and didn’t use any sugar. Took me 55 mins to bake, but the outcome was fantastic. It looks divine and tastes amazing too. Wish I could post a photo of my brigadeirao. I’ve visited Brazil so many times for work n for the World Cup but never came across this dessert unfortunately
Denise Browning says
I am so glad you found our recipe, tried it, and enjoy it. If you would like to post your brigadeirao photo, please tag @easyanddelish on Instagram and I will be happy to add it to our story. Thanks a lot!
Lynne Krawczyk says
Help! My Brigaderiao did not harden. I was very liquidy. I even added move cooking time. My ingredients were all room temperature. Please tell me what I could have done wrong. I am so anxious to try it!
Denise Browning says
Sorry that I was away from my computer yesterday Lynne! Many factors could have affected the final consistency of your brigadeirao. Here are a few:
1. If you used a smaller baking pan, it will affect the final cooking time. Smaller, deeper baking pans require a longer time to cook. Or if you used a baking pan that doesn't have a ring/hole in the center. Ring pans cook faster than a regular round cake pan.
2. Have you replaced any ingredients?
3. The bathwater has to be boiling hot from the very beginning and must reach halfway up high the brigadeirao baking pan.
4. Your oven is not heating properly.
5. Although it took me 40-45 minutes to cook in my oven under all the conditions stated in the recipe, it can vary in other ovens. The brigadeirao is ready when it is set on top and jiggly like a flan yet firm enough to not be liquidy.
I am so sorry! I wish I was there to help you! Please let me know if you did something different like those things stated above so we can figure out what went wrong and avoid it next time.
Joanne says
Can almond milk be substituted for the whole milk?
Denise Browning says
Yes it can!
Randa alahmad says
Hi this looks really good but my husband doesn't like chocolate, can this be made without chocolate??
Denise Browning says
Hi Randa! I have never made it without cocoa powder. But if I had to make it without, I'd try it with creamy peanut butter (about 1 cup to replace the cocoa powder). If you prefer vanilla, add about 1-2 tbsp of pure vanilla extract instead of 1 tsp, and skip the cocoa powder. It may take mroe time to bake. But be aware these are suggestions. I have never tried without the cocoa powder. This si a traditional recipe! If you make it following one of teh suggestions, please return and let me know how it turned out. Thank you again!
Mary says
I don’t use real sugar. Instead, I use granulated Splenda. It measures out the same way as sugar.. can this be substituted for sugar. Also I use egg beaters for eggs, can I use this instead or use 2 eggs and substitute egg eaters for the rest of the eggs?
Denise Browning says
Hi Mary! If you prefer to use Splenda instead of real sugar, I advise you to double the amount of Splenda called for sugar in the recipe. As for egg beaters, if it comes with both yolks and whites, you may use it in the same amount required for whole eggs. But this will be a test because you may not obtain with the egg beaters the same amount of yolks and whites in whole eggs.
Salma says
Hello again I tried the recipe and it turned out great! So yummy! I have a question though can I substitute sugar with honey or pure maple syrup? If yes can you please tell me how to adjust the amounts? Thank you!
Denise Browning says
Hi Salma! I am glad you enjoyed the recipe. I have never tested this brigadeirao recipe with honey as a replacement for sugar. If you use a sweetened cocoa powder instead, you may simply omit sugar in the batter. I only added sugar because I used an unsweetened cocoa powder -- the sugar is only to balance the chocolate flavor resulting in a bittersweet chocolate dessert instead of a bitter, dark chocolate flavor.
I cannot guarantee the same results if you decide to use honey but if you are willing to try at your own risk, here are a few general rules for baking:
1. For every 1 cup of sugar, substitute 1/2 to 2/3 cup honey.
2. For every 1 cup of honey you're using, subtract 1/4 cup of milk from the recipe.
3. Add 1/4 teaspoon baking soda for every 1 cup honey used.
4. Reduce the temperature of the oven by 25°F so the flan will not brown too quickly.
Thanks for stopping by!