The Brigadeiro

Born in 1940s Brazil

The brigadeiro was created in Brazil in the mid-1940s. The most widely told story credits it to Heloísa Nabuco de Oliveira, a confectioner from Rio de Janeiro, who made the sweet for the 1945 presidential campaign of Brigadier Eduardo Gomes. Supporters sold the little chocolate truffles to help raise funds, and the treat became known as the doce do brigadeiro, “the brigadier's sweet.”

The brigadier lost the election. The sweet, however, won the country, and its name was soon shortened to simply brigadeiro.

Made possible by condensed milk

The classic recipe is wonderfully simple: sweetened condensed milk, cocoa and butter, cooked slowly and stirred constantly until thick and glossy. Once cooled, each piece is rolled by hand and coated in chocolate sprinkles.

Condensed milk had been sold in Brazil since the 1920s, and at a time when fresh milk, sugar and eggs were not always easy to find, it made a rich, satisfying sweet possible with just a few pantry ingredients. That simplicity is a big part of why the brigadeiro spread from kitchen to kitchen so quickly.

A sweet that means celebration

For Brazilians, the brigadeiro is much more than a dessert. It is the taste of childhood birthday parties, where trays of brigadeiros in tiny paper cups wait on the table, and every child tries to sneak one before the cake is cut. It shows up at weddings, baby showers, graduations and family gatherings, and many Brazilians grew up licking the spoon straight from the pan.

In Brazil, a party without brigadeiros hardly feels like a party.

From homemade classic to gourmet treat

Over the past decades, the brigadeiro has moved from the family kitchen to fine pâtisseries. Brazilian confectioners began using premium chocolate and creating new flavours, from pistachio and coconut to coffee and fruit, while keeping the same soft, fudgy texture that makes it so loved. As Brazilians settled around the world, they brought the brigadeiro with them, and today it is discovered and loved far beyond Brazil.

Why brigadeiros make a perfect gift

• Made to be shared. Bite-sized and individually cupped, brigadeiros are easy to offer and enjoy at any gathering.
• Something new to discover. For many people in Canada, a box of brigadeiros is a first taste of Brazil, and a memorable one.
• A gesture of affection. In Brazil, brigadeiros are tied to celebrations and to the people we love. Giving them carries that same warmth.
• For every occasion. Birthdays, thank-yous, corporate gifts, weddings, holidays or simply because: there is always a reason for a brigadeiro.

Brigadeiros, the Olivia way

At Olivia Sweetbites, we honour the tradition with premium ingredients and careful hands. Every brigadeiro is made in small batches and finished one by one, in a collection of flavours designed to be offered, shared and savoured. Choose a box, pick your flavours, or let Olivia's Selection surprise you.