BeijinhoCoconut Kiss
Condensed-Milk Coconut Truffles Rolled in Sugar.
Beijinho — little kiss — is brigadeiro's pale cousin, the coconut truffle that shares its birthday-party tray. The clove on top is not optional decoration: bite around it, and the clove's perfume runs through the coconut like a vein.
Ingredients
- 1 can (395 g) sweetened condensed milk
- 100 g desiccated coconut, plus extra for rolling
- 20 g unsalted butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 pinch fine sea salt
- 30 whole cloves or tiny sugar pearls, to decorate
Method
- Cook the baseCombine the condensed milk, coconut, butter, and salt in a heavy pan. Cook over medium-low, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and pulls from the bottom of the pan in one mass, 8 to 10 minutes.
- RestScrape into a buttered bowl, stir in the vanilla, and chill at least 1 hour until firm enough to roll.
- RollWith buttered hands, roll teaspoonfuls into balls, then roll each in extra coconut.
- DecorateCrown each with a single clove — the traditional beijinho signature — or a sugar pearl, and set in mini paper cups.
Questions
How long does Beijinho take?
About 15 minutes of prep and 10 minutes of cooking — 25 minutes total, yielding 30 candies.
Do you eat the clove on top?
Traditionally it is bitten around — the clove perfumes the coconut as you eat. Remove it for children; replace with a sugar pearl for a milder finish.
Can I use fresh coconut?
Freshly grated coconut is wonderful but wetter — cook the mixture a minute longer. Desiccated is the reliable party-kitchen standard.