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!!!
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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?
HOW TO MAKE BRIGADEIRAO (BRAZILIAN CHOCOLATE FUDGE FLAN)
- Preheat the oven to 350º F (180º C). Grease an 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 the mixture into the prepared pan.
- Bake in bain-Marie for about 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, run a knife the edge around carefully, and place on a rack to cool. SEE RECIPE NOTES!
- 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.
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 the brigadeirao into quarters.
- Then, seal in freezer plastic bags for storing up for 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
- Brazilian Chocolate Cake Roll
- Ganache-Style Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge (With Video)
- Brigadeiro Cookies
- Triple Brigadeiro Cheesecake Tart
- Vegan Chocolate Pot de Creme
- Hot Chocolate Fudge
- Hot Chocolate Trifle
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 plus extra to sprinkle the pan
- 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 the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake in bain-Marie for about 40 minutes (or more depending on your oven and the size of your pan). Please, read some important NOTES below. It will be ready when the top is set and the flan is slightly jiggly like a cheesecake. 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
- Baking time may vary depending on how well your oven heat/calibration, and the size, depth, and material of the pan. Large, less deep pans will bake the flan faster than small, deeper pans. Ring pans also bake flans faster than cake pans. In addition, prefer metal pans instead of glass or ceramic dishes which tend to not bake custards uniformly.
- When brigadeirao is ready? More than the time stated in my recipe, you need to understand this type of flan is ready when the top is set and the custard is jiggly like a cheesecake. As stated above, if you change anything in this recipe such as the size or the material of the pan, your baking time may be longer.
- BAIN-MARIE: Place hot water in a large baking pan and place the ring pan inside. Make sure water comes halfway up the side of the pan. This will help to bake the brigadeirao faster and uniformly.
- STORAGE: 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.
Briana Barajas says
Hello, ca I use heavy whipping cream instead of mill?! Thank you!
Valentina Dimitrova says
Yes you can replace milk with heavy whipping cream to make this brigadeirao recipe.
Lois says
Would an angel food cake pan work for this? Or would a Bundt pan be better?
Valentina Dimitrova says
Hi Lois! If your angel cake pan has a removable bottom, it won't work to bake this brigadeirao. Why? Because the batter for the brigadeirao is liquid while the angel cake batter is thick like a paste. It will be leaky! If you don't have a ring pan, you cna use a round cake pan - but it will take longer to bake.
Franki says
I've made this recipe several times and it always turns out great. My family loves it. I've made it exactly as the recipe says and it is great. But I've also used a coffee liqueur instead of the vanilla and added a little instant espresso to give it a little coffee flavor. Also turns out great. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Valentina Dimitrova says
I am so happy you enjoyed our brigadeirao and have made it several times. Replacement vanilla extract with coffee liqueur was a great idea!
Ange R. says
I use this recipe for my chocoflan because I prefer chocolate flan over vanilla. It’s a huge hit! Everyone loves it.
Thanks you
Valentina Dimitrova says
Hi, Ange! Thank you so much for your feedback. I am glad your chocoflan made with our brigadeirao was hit. You made my day!
Barbara Sierra says
Looks delicious. Haven’t tried it yet, kinda confused on the sugar part, do you sprinkle the 1/2 cup of sugar in the pan or does the 1/2 cup of sugar go in the recipe? And sprinkle additional sugar in pan after coating it?
Valentina Dimitrova says
Hi, Barbara! The 1/2 cup of sugar is to blend with the other ingredients in the blender. It is for the batter!
However, you should use extra sugar to sprinkle the pan. I have just added this note in the recipe and extra tips for success.
Please make sure to read the notes under the recipe before making this brigadeirao. Enjoy!
Karen Schmitt says
Well it didn't come out. It was sauce. I baked it 60 minutes, when it was soup at 40 minutes. It was set on the top after 60. I put it in the fridge for 6 hours, took it to a party and...it was delicious as a sauce for ice cream. The pan I used was a glass pyrex ring at 350. I will be making it again and taking it to my Aunt this week because I had promised an amazing dessert. Any tips to compensate would be appreciated. I am also using duck eggs, so I used 3 eggs, instead of 4 because of how large they are.
Valentina Dimitrova says
Hi Karen! Mine took about 45 minutes to bake and set beautifully as a flan. The best way to have this brigadeirao flan to set without any issues is to use a ring metal pan. Glass pans don't heat well or uniformely. It will undercook the flan in some areas towards the center and top (it will become saucy) while overcooking in others towards the edges and bottom.
Debora Bertka says
Hi! This recipe used to have a vanilla sauce to be poured over it. Can you tell me how to make it again please? I know it was heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla. Can't remember the measurements though.
Valentina Dimitrova says
Hi Debora! I updated the recipe and images. The sauce contained about 1/2 cup of heavy cream, 1 teasppon of pure vanilla extract, and about 2-4 tablespoons of sugar (or enough to sweeten the cream to your taste). Please make sure to combine all the ingredients well. You may replace it with a sweetened whipped cream.
Kristen says
Any advice on baking in individual sizes? I'm wondering how long to let them go for. I always end up sharing since it's so yummy and rich! Would love to be able to just hand out smaller sizes.
Valentina Dimitrova says
I see, Kristen! I confess I have never made brigadeirao in a smaller size because this is very much a family-dessert in my household. Everyone enjoys it!
But you can certainly try it. It is technically a flan so as any flan recipe, our Brazilian chocolate flan can be baked in individual ramekins.
Please, follow our recipe, adjusting the baking time. If you bake it in standard-size individual ceramic ramekins (each about 8-inch diameter and 2-inch deep),
it may take at least 30 minutes, or more because you will be baking in a ceramic dish which takes more time to cook than metal pans. It will be ready when the flan
is set on top and jiggly like a jello or cheesecake. If you have ever made cheesecake, you know when it is ready. The same applies to flans. Just make sure that you put
all the ramekins in a larger and deep baking pan, fill the larger pan with boiling water that comes halfway up the side of the ramekins. Please let me know if you try it
and how long it took yours to bake it. I'd love to add that in the notes of my recipe. Thank you again!
monica levi says
I made this in heavy skull molds. I was afraid of them unmolding, but they were awesome! Next time I will use smaller molds as the skulls were too big for a serving.
Valentina Dimitrova says
SO happy you made our brigadeirao recipe and enjoyed it!
Brain Bud says
Hello, how many cups of condensed milk?
Valentina Dimitrova says
Hi! You will need 2 cans (14 ounces or 397 grams each) of condensed milk. This is a 28 ounces or 794 grams) total of sweetened condensed milk. In American cups (use an 8-ounce cup), you would need three and a half cups of sweetened condensed milk.
Suzanne Woolley says
This is over the top chocolatey rich!! Took way longer to cook…ended upping temp to 375. Think next time…and there will be a next time…will use a little more corn starch as consistency wasn’t quite right and use 375, not 350. Was worried it wouldn’t unmold easily, but it did.
Valentina Dimitrova says
Hi Suzanne! The baking time may vary depending on the oven. I have made this recipe many times because it is a family favorite, and have used the recipe measurements as well as the oven temperature and baking time as stated in the recipe successfully. Other people on Pinterest followed this recipe as it is successfully. Any baking recipe will present variations. But I am glad you were able to adjust them according to your conditions. This is a flan (type of custard) and overbaking is one of the major problems people may encounter. I am glad yours wasn't overbaked. Thank you for trying our recipe!
Sandra says
Made first time ever yesterday and was absolutely wonderful!! So rich and chocolatey. This would be a perfect dessert in the summer time because it's nice and cold and almost could taste like ice cream.
Candice says
Omitted the sugar and baked for 50 mins and it came out perfectly, just the right amount of sweetness!
Brian says
Made this twice. Takes longer than 40 minutes to get it cooked to set. Liquid if you follow the directions.
Valentina Dimitrova says
Hi Brian! It may be liquid in your oven because in mine it takes 40-45 minutes to bake and set completely.
Martha says
I followed the recipe and it came out liquidy. What can I do to fix it.
Valentina Dimitrova says
Hi, Martha! There is more than a factor that may have contributed to that result. One of them is using a taller/deeper pan which requires more time to bake. Another possibility is you may haven't baked the brigadeirao long enough (or until set and jiggly). The baking time stated in the recipe will vary depending on the material and size of the pan, altitude, how calibrated is your oven, and if you didn't change any ingredient or measurements. The brigadeirao is ready when is set on top and bouncy like a cheesecake. It requires cooling and refrigetarion to fully firm up.
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.
Valentina Dimitrova 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.
Marianne Frisby says
I would like to make this but I only have silicone 8 inch pans can they be used and if so do I still have to put it into a water bath? My email address is MFRIZZ 69@iCloud.com.
Valentina Dimitrova says
Hi Marianne! I have never made this brigadeirao in a silicone mold. In general, they are not good conductor of heat as an aluminum pan. I am afraid the flan won't cook evenly. Any baked custard such as flan should cook in a water bath. However, it is possible to cook it in the oven without a water bath. Keep in mind some parts will cook faster than others.
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.
Valentina Dimitrova says
Hi Nancy! I am so glad everyone could eat it and enjoyed our brigadeirao recipe. Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!