Camaféu de Nozes (literally translated as Walnut Cameo) is a walnut brigadeiros covered with melted "fondant" glaze and topped with a shelled walnut. This typical Brazilian treat (technically neither a candy nor a truffle) finds its inspiration in cameo jewelry.
Cookies, cookies, and more cookies!!! I cannot bear to eat or even look at a single one more.... Everyone is sharing cookie recipes...it seems that everybody is giving them away as holiday presents! It's enough to make any cookie monster bored and grumpy. 🙂 Although I intended to share a typical Brazilian cookie recipe with you this week, I just couldn't. If you are a cookie lover, please forgive me! Instead, I prepared a typical, festive Brazilian candy that will put a smile on your face: Camaféu de Nozes or Walnut Cameos. They are gorgeous, incredibly easy to make, scrumptious, and unique. Wouldn't you be happy to open a gift box filled with them? They are definitely more delightful than cookies. 🙂 In addition, they are flourless (naturally gluten-free)
Since its appearance is reminiscent of the carved trinkets whose artistry dates back as far as the 3rd century BC. As you can see, the food styling for these photos was inspired by a favorite carved cameo from my personal jewelry collection.
In Brazil, camaféu de nozes are traditionally served at weddings (sometimes as guest favors or sometimes to be enjoyed by guests after the wedding cake is served), and at other special occasions, too. I think camaféu de nozes are perfect for Christmas!!! Just look at them... they are alabaster white and decorated with a beautiful golden walnut on top. In fact they are made from walnuts, which along with other nuts are a traditional part of both Brazilian and American holiday tables.
They make the most unique and gorgeous edible jewelry Christmas presents, too. In fact, this is one of my presents to you!!! You will not find any other online recipe for camaféu de nozes or walnut cameos in either Portuguese or English more reliable or detailed than the one that I have worked out for you here. Pass it along! Delight your friends with a gift box filled with camaféu de nozes and wait for their puzzled yet happy reaction. For such a special occasion, believe me: Camaféu de nozes are the best!
Christmas is about traditions. You can start a new tradition... something different and more exciting than cookies! Although I do appreciate old traditions such as panettone, I also enjoy incorporating new ones at my table and making them my own. These camaféu de nozes are definitely my ultimate Christmas tradition. What is/are yours?
But that is not all!!!! Besides these camaféus de nozes or walnut cameos, I have another Christmas present for you: A $100 holiday debt relief GIVEAWAY. To find out more about this giveaway, please scroll down the page. Good luck!
From my family to yours, Merry Christmas!!!!
xx
To read more about the many variations of brigadeiro, please see here.
Camaféu de Nozes (Walnut Cameos)
Ingredients
- For the Camaféu de Nozes Dough:
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk 14 oz or 396 g
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 cup shelled walnuts ground
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter plus extra for greasing, softened
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 20 shelled walnuts to decorate top of the candies
- 1 Wilton gold color mist food spray, which is also available at local supermarkets (optional)
- For the "Fondant" Glaze:
- 17.5 ounces powdered sugar about 500 g
- ¼ cup whole milk plus extra when necessary
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Instructions
- Prepare the camaféu de nozes dough: In a medium saucepan, combine the condensed milk, egg yolks, ground walnuts, and butter. Cook over medium heat (large burner), stirring constantly, until mixture has thickened and bottom of the pan starts to show through when stirred (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.
- Pour cooked mixture into a greased dish and let cool on a rack.
- Lightly grease hands with butter. Using a tablespoon as measure for each candy, roll into balls...
- then, pressing between two of your fingers, shape into slightly elongated, oval shaped treats...
- and finish by pressing down to flatten the top.
- Set aside on a lightly greased plate or surface.
- If you'd like to give the walnuts a golden color effect, line a baking sheet with parchment paper, arrange 20 walnuts in one single layer and spray each one of them with the edible gold food spray (we found this at Walmart in the cake decorating/wedding supply section near the crafts). Let color set at room temperature.
- To prepare the "fondant" glaze: Place the powdered sugar, milk, and lemon juice in a heat-resistant bowl. Whisk until obtaining a homogeneous mixture. Place bowl in a larger baking pan filled with boiling water (about 2 inches). Then, continue to whisk mixture until sugar has melted.
- With the aid of a fork, dip each camaféu de nozes into the "fondant" glaze, letting the the excess drip off.
- Place shelled walnut carefully on top while glaze has not yet set. Place treat(s) on a lightly greased surface or baking sheet (you may need to slide the glazed treat off onto the greased surface using the handle of a spoon or fork) and let glaze set. Note: You may need to stir in a few drops of milk whenever the fondant glaze starts to get too thick. But be careful not to add too much, or glaze will be too thin. If this happens, just whisk in a bit of powdered sugar. Please, keep glaze in the warm water bath at all times or it will harden. In addition, always clean the fork with a paper towel before dipping another walnut cameo/camaféu de nozes into the fondant glaze in order to prevent the fondant from becoming dirty with walnut cameo dough.
- Once glaze has set, carefully trim off excess glaze with a knife and transfer each camaféu de nozes to a bonbon cup.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
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Absolutely loved it! Great post Denise, once more you delivered a great recipe!:) We especially enjoyed that you SHOW with your hands HOW to make the shape of the candy.
Thank you!
Thanks, LCT! I did the best that I could. 🙂 Merry Christmas!!!
Almost to beautiful to eat, on the other hand they look so delicious that it's
imposible to resist the temptation 🙂
Lovely presentation, Denise, very elegant as a give away too!
Thanks so much, Daniela! I wish you and your family a happy Christmas!
loved the steps you have given for making these cookies...they look so beautiful...truly dreamy good...and terrific recipe,thanks so much for sharing 🙂
Thanks, Kumar! But these are not cookies. They are unique treats from Brazil. Anyway, thanks a lot for stopping by. Wishing you a very happy holiday!
oh sorry Denise,these sweet treats look so adorable and cute....we just had cookies in mind so typed it down,but what is absolutely true about these treats is they are one of the most beautiful ones we have ever seen...and sure going to try them at home,thanks so much for the inspiration...Merry Christmas!!!
No problem, Kumar! Wishing you Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year!!!
These are so beautiful! Just when i think you have outdone yourself...you do it again!
Hi, Liz! It's good to have you visiting me here! Thanks a lot... I wish we did not live so far so you could have tried these delish treats. Wishing you a very Merry Christmas.xx
Love these precious little treats and I am super impressed with how you've recreating and got inspired. That cameo is stunning and it looks so similar to the treats. Completely inspired by this dessert. You know Denise, you are so right about cookies, now I would love to get these unique treats as gifts.
Happy Holidays and hugs to your cuties and enjoy my darlin.
Thank you, my sweet friend. Wishing you and your family a wonderful holiday. xx
This would be a huge help with all of the holiday grocery shopping I have to do.
Thanks for stopping by, Christy! I hope you've participated in our giveaway. Good luck!
I will forgo another cookie if I can have an irresistible Walnut Cameo instead! An intoxicating candy!
Thanks, Deb! 🙂
Is this for real? I cannot imagine eating something as gorgeous as this! Beautiful recipe and beautiful photos! LOVE them!
Thanks so much, my friend, for your lovely words!
You post the best stuff and leave it to you to say, "I've had enough cookies! Eat this!" What a beautiful candy.
I hope you have a lovely Christmas.
Thanks a lot, Maureen! Likewise.
Gorgeous cameos. Absolutely adorable. I can't have enough of these, Denise. Love them.
Thanks, Lail!
I see, Lisa!
i shopped sales for everything I bought as gifts
These are beautiful! I'm going to have to see if my husband has ever had them in Venezuela, or if they are mostly contained in Brazil. His brother lived there for a few years... I might have to ask him, too. I'm sure this is the kind of thing I would love!
Thanks, Tammi! Venezuelans love Brazilian food. I hope you can make these treats. They are unique e delicious.
These are gorgeous Denise! Love the blue, petal like thingies!
I must admit - I do love cookies, I didn't give any away though. My daughter and I gave away homemade popcorn coated in homemade caramel, milk, dark and white chocolate.
My family has requested a cookie platter for dessert for Christmas so I have been looking for a few to add to my healthier, flourless ones....these would be an awesome addition too!
Thanks, Sashi! I wish you can make these treats... They are really delightful! Merry Christmas!
I feel the same way about the whole cookie business! There's nothing but cookies on Pinterest! I like cookies, but that's not all I want to see. I didn't post one cookie recipe 🙂 These are perfect in my book, so beautiful and definitely different.
A very Happy Christmas to you, your husband and Hannah and Chantal, give them my love 🙂
Nazneen
I am glad that someone else agree with me...I cannot see a single cookie in front of me anymore although I love them. It is too much!
Thanks a lot, Nazneen! I will let them know about your holiday wishes. Please, tell your family that we wish them happy holidays. Hugs to y'all!
These are just gorgeous Denise. I've never seen anything like them, wow!
Thanks, Chris! They are my absolutely fave for many reasons...