VEGAN PIÑA COLADA BRIGADEIROS

When traveling throughout Brazil I tried some of the best authentic brigadeiros. These sweets consist mainly of condensed milk, cocoa, butter and sprinkles. You'll find the classic ball-shape versions everywhere but I also saw brigadeiro being used as a topping to brownies, filling in cake and ice cream flavors. The opportunities are endless! I wanted to come up with a recipe to put my own spin on these yummy morsels so here it is...the Pina Colada Brigadeiros! My favorite tropical drink has always been the Pina Colada. The pairing of pineapple and coconut into one is true bliss. The end result is a blend of refreshing yet cream dessert bites that are easy to make and even easier to clean up! Happy Baking :)

Piña Colada Brigadeiro Recipe

Makes 40 Small Brigadeiros

Ingredients:

1 Cup Fresh Pineapple Diced Small
1/4 Cup Pineapple Juice
1/4 Cup Malibu Rum
1 Tbsp Plant Based Butter
14 oz Can Sweetened Condensed Coconut Milk
1/4 Cup Vegan White Chocolate
1 Cup Coconut Flakes

The best part about this recipe is you don't need to use the oven at all! All done in 1 pan on the stove!

1. Place a medium sized pot over medium heat. Add the pineapple, juice, rum and butter. Reduce mixture to a jam-like consistency, stirring frequently.

2. Add condensed milk and chocolate to the mixture, continue on medium heat.

3. Stir until you can drag a spoon through the middle and the line holds for at least 3 seconds.

4. Now let the mixture cool in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

5. Place your coconut flakes in a shallow bowl (these will be used to coast the balls and help them hold their shape) & remove your brigadeiro mixture from the refrigerator.

6. This step is so important! Coat your hands in coconut oil or butter so the mixture won't stick to your hands when rolling.

7. Use a spoon to scoop your desired amount of brigadeiro into your hands ( I used about the size of a tsp). Roll into a ball then place into the coconut flakes, coat thoroughly then roll one last time to settle the coconut. And there you have it!! A Piña Colada Brigadeiro, booze and all!

*I wanted the coconut flakes to cover the balls a bit more thoroughly. I chose to pulse the coconut flakes in a food processor for about 10 seconds to make them a bit smaller. But I'm sure they will come out great as whole flakes too!

These were super easy to make and would be a fun activity to make with kids (plus a great way for them to learn about brazilian culture!). Almost like an edible, slightly more sticky play dough!