Brazilian Brigadeirão: The Giant Chocolate Fudge Flan Covered in Sprinkles

Ingredients for Brazilian Brigadeirão

This recipe makes one 8-inch ring flan, about 10 to 12 slices.

For the brigadeirão

• 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk: the heart of every brigadeiro.
• 1 cup heavy cream: gives the flan its smooth, rich body.
• 4 large eggs: at room temperature. They set the custard.
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder: or ¾ cup sweetened chocolate drink powder for the traditional milder flavor.
• 1 tablespoon butter: melted, plus extra for greasing the pan.
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract: optional, but it rounds out the chocolate.

For the chocolate glaze

• ½ can (7 oz) sweetened condensed milk: for the classic fudgy topping.
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder: sifted.
• 1 tablespoon butter: for shine.
• ¼ cup heavy cream: added at the end to keep it pourable.

To decorate

• 1 cup chocolate sprinkles: the long, thin chocolate kind, not the hard rainbow nonpareils.

A Few Words About the Ingredients

Sprinkles make the dessert. In Brazil, brigadeiros are rolled in soft chocolate sprinkles called granulado. In the United States, look for chocolate sprinkles or "chocolate jimmies" in the baking aisle. They are soft and taste like real chocolate, unlike the waxy rainbow kind.

Cocoa choice changes the flavor. Unsweetened cocoa powder gives a deeper, darker chocolate taste that balances the sweetness of the condensed milk. Brazilian cooks often use sweetened chocolate drink powder, which makes a milder, more milk-chocolate flavor. If you use the sweetened kind, use a little more.

You will need a ring-shaped flan pan or a small 8-inch tube pan, about 6-cup capacity. A Bundt pan works as long as it is well greased. A large roasting pan is needed for the water bath.