Get Ready!
PREPARATION
Setting up your rolling station
- Clear a workspace and set out your kit’s contents
- Empty each of the ‘melting chocolate’ packets into separate microwave safe bowls. Note: If you do not have access to a microwave, you will need to set up a double boiler (fill a saucepan with an inch of water and place the bowl of chocolate gently on top of the saucepan making sure the bowl fits snugly)
- Empty each topping onto separate plates
- Open the brigadeiro containers and reserve a spoon for each
- Prepare a wipe or paper towel and a small bowl of water or butter for your hands
CHOCOLATE EGGS
Making the Chocolate Egg Shells
1) Melting the chocolate
- Microwave: For the dark chocolate, microwave for 1 minute at 40% power. For the ruby chocolate, microwave for 30 seconds at 70-100% power being careful not to burn it (microwave dependent). Stir gently until the chocolate is completely melted. If it has still not melted completely, heat for another 20 seconds and stir again (please refer to the instruction video above).
- Double-boiler: Add hot water to a saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer. Add the chocolate to a heat-resistant bowl and place the bowl on top of the saucepan. Gently stir the chocolate until completely melted.
Tempering the chocolate
- It’s best to cool the chocolate down before using it. The simplest way to cool the chocolate down is to stir it with a spoon. To test that it is ready, touch the chocolate with the tip of your finger and then to your lip. It should be cool to touch. If you have a thermometer, the temperature should be 93F.
- With your spatula (or spoon), add a thin layer of chocolate to an egg mold. Gently spread the chocolate around until it forms a thin layer (add more chocolate if necessary)
- Repeat until you have filled at least 3 molds (save some melted chocolate for decorating!)
- Refrigerate or freeze for a few minutes
Decorating the Chocolate Eggs
Filled Chocolate Egg Halves
- While the chocolate shells are still in the mold, gently fill an egg shell with brigadeiro and smooth it out (be careful not to overfill it)
- Add some toppings for texture and flavor (optional)
- Cover the filling with a spoonful of melted chocolate. Spread out the chocolate until the egg is ‘sealed’
- Add more toppings to the melted chocolate (optional)
- Refrigerate or freeze until completely hard
- Once hard, remove the shell from the mold, gently pull back the silicone mold around the shell you want to remove and the shell will pop out
Whole Chocolate Eggs
- You can seal two egg shells to make a complete chocolate egg.
- Heat up a flat plate in the microwave or with hot water
- Use the hot plate to melt the edges of the eggs
- Gently ‘glue’ the two halves together to seal
- Set aside to dry
Double Layer Whole Chocolate Eggs
- An ultra-indulgent treat where you take a filled whole chocolate egg and layer it with more brigadeiro.
- Scoop a small amount of brigadeiro from the container and gently press it into a flat circle
- Wrap the circle around the outside of a whole chocolate egg
- Gently roll the egg in your hands until it is covered with an even layer of brigadeiro
- Press the egg into sprinkles of your choice. Use individual sprinkles to create designs or patterns!
Classic Brigadeiros
Make some classic brigadeiros or spring-inspired brigadeiro shapes from your leftover brigadeiro filling.
Filling: Wet or lightly butter your hands. Scoop some brigadeiro (not the spread) from the container and gently roll it in your hands until it is round. Roll quickly or it will become too soft to work with. You can also get creative and shape the brigadeiro into a spring-inspired shape like an egg or a flower!
Decorating: Choose one or more toppings and roll your brigadeiro in the topping/s on the plate until evenly covered. Roll it gently in your hands or press it with your fingers to make sure the toppings are firmly attached to the brigadeiro. Place it in a paper cup or on a plate. And that’s it. Just taste, repeat using different flavors and textures, and enjoy!
Pro-Tips
To make a marbled chocolate shell, melt the two chocolates separately and spoon some of each into a separate bowl. With the stick end of a spoon, gently pull the stick across the bowl 2-3 times before adding to the mold as per the instructions above.
The chocolate egg shells can be prepped in advance. Just store them in a sealed container in the refrigerator until you’re ready to fill and decorate them!
Try filling your chocolate eggs with some other pantry goodies like your favorite candy, some crushed cookies, or some crumbled cake mixed with brigadeiro.
You can save some chocolate to melt and use to ‘glue’ candy or other edible decorations to the outside of the chocolate egg.
The passion fruit brigadeiro spread is great to use on toast or baked goods. You can also warm it in the microwave for 10 seconds and turn it into a pourable sauce for ice cream!