Brigadeiro

Method

1. 1Sift the cocoa powder directly into the cold pan with the condensed milk and whisk it smooth before any heat goes on. Cocoa added to a warm mixture forms lumps that will not disperse later, and straining afterwards costs you a third of the batch.
2. 2Add the butter and the pinch of salt and set the pan over low to medium heat, stirring constantly with a silicone spatula and reaching into the corners of the pan where it catches first.
3. 3Cook for 10 to 12 minutes. The mixture darkens, loses its gloss briefly and then comes back glossier and heavier, and the spatula starts to meet resistance rather than sliding freely.
4. 4Test it by dragging the spatula across the base: the trail should stay open for about 3 seconds before the mixture closes over it. If it fills in instantly, keep going; if it does not close at all, you have gone a minute too far.
5. 5Confirm with a second test by tilting the pan. The mass should slide as one piece and leave the base clean behind it. Pour it immediately onto a greased plate and spread it thin so it stops cooking.
6. 6Cool at room temperature for at least 1 hour. Do not use the fridge, where condensation forms on the surface and makes the mixture sticky to handle and dull once rolled.
7. 7Grease your hands with a little butter, roll balls of about 15 g, and turn each one through the sprinkles until fully coated. Set them in paper cases and serve at room temperature.