Have you ever heard of a brigadeiro? Maybe not. It sounds like a complex dish, but it's actually just a truffle! Brigadeiros are a traditional Brazilian dessert and a popular treat for many, especially during festivities. It all started with a political campaign...so keep reading to find out what happened!
Early Beginnings
Let us first go back to the origin of the truffle. There is no official date for the first invention of the truffle, but it is mostly believed that they were first made between 1890-1920. According to legend, truffles happened by accident when French chef Auguste Escoffier thoughtlessly poured hot cream into a bowl of chocolate chunks instead of the intended bowl of sugared egg for pastry cream. He later realized he could form balls with the chocolate paste he created accidentally and coated his new invention with cocoa powder. The name "truffle" was then given due to the balls' resemblance to the truffle fungus.
WWII Historical Context
Brigadeiros, however, originated later on from the state of São Paulo in Brazil in the early 1940s. Although it’s likely that the brigadeiro was invented earlier on like the French truffles, it was at this time that it was popularized in Brazil and given its name.
World War II created a deficit of imports that were central to desserts at the time, mostly nuts and fruits, so desserts were made from whatever was available. Many other basic ingredients needed for making confectioneries or candies, like milk, sugar, and eggs, were also rationed during this war period. Thus, the necessity for new substitutes led to the creation of this dessert, which was improvised using concentrated milk (condensed or reduced), cocoa powder, and butter.
Rations actually made condensed milk a wildly popular substitute for desserts in general. Sweetened condensed milk was invented to sterilize milk pre-refrigeration, and it became crucial during wartime. Additionally, it was during this time that the multinational company Nestle® introduced their cocoa powder and canned condensed milk to the people of Brazil. As a result of all these factors, chocolate products enjoyed a sudden surge of popularity in Brazil. The circumstances caused by World War II was one reason why brigadeiros rose to popularity.
Women's Rights Movement
It was also at this time that Brazilian suffragists began rallying for voting equality. After women gained the right to vote around Europe and the United States, suffragists like the Brazilian Federation for Women’s Progress, led by Bertha Lutz, gained momentum as well. After decades of fighting, Brazilian women won the right to vote in 1932.
However, there were some limitations. Only married women who had their husbands’ permission, single women earning their own salaries, and widows were allowed to vote. This hugely affected womens’ ability to participate in politics. They continued to fight for equality, and eventually voting became compulsory for everyone in 1945-46.
But what does a traditional Brazilian sweet have to do with women’s voting rights?
Presidential Campaign Origin Story
It all ties together in how brigadeiros were named. The origin of the name “brigadeiro” traces back to Eduardo Gomes, a Brazilian Air Force brigadier who was famous for helping put an end to a communist coup attempt in Rio de Janeiro in the 1920s. A national hero, Gomes later ran for Brazilian president in 1946, the first election in which all women could vote. Thus, the women's suffrage movement happened at just the right time and was key for the events that unfolded next.
In 1945, after a coup removed dictator Getúlio Vargas, Gomes was the candidate for the National Democratic Union (NDU) party. Being single and good-looking, he had many female admirers, who came up with slogans for the campaign, such as “vote for the brigadier because he’s handsome and he’s single!” During his first candidacy, a group of women from the São Paulo neighborhood organized parties to promote his run. With their new voting rights, women were now much more involved in politics. These ladies allegedly created this sweet dessert and named it after Gomes’ brigadier rank to fundraise for the race and request votes from people. Afterwards, the candy quickly gained popularity and spread to the rest of the country, along with the Gomes' campaign. Over time, the word “brigadeiro” gained such a close linkage with the treat that people began to call it simply by that name. In the end, despite the support that he received, Eduardo Gomes lost the election.
Other versions of the origin story spread during the 1980’s. They tell similar stories linking the treat to Eduardo Gomes’ campaign. However, those versions change the place of origin and say that ladies from Rio de Janeiro State, Gomes' state of birth, created it. One such story claims that Heloísa Nabuco, a lady from a known family in Rio that supported the brigadier, created the dessert. She created a type of candy, slightly different from the present-day version, that used milk, eggs, butter, sugar, and chocolate, and then named it after the military rank of her chosen candidate (Gomes). However, the stories with links to Rio shows signs of having arisen after the creation and popularization of the candy (they were probably just for clout).
The first origin story finds a couple of pillars of support. First, there was the political context of the time. São Paulo, with the recent Revolution of 1932, was against the opposing candidate, General Dutra. Plus, a second factor was the economic setting at that time. It was in the state of São Paulo where the only two Brazilian condensed milk factories (Nestlé) were located. Additionally, the city of Sao Paulo was the home of the factory that made the famous “Chocolate do Padre” - the popular name of the chocolate mentioned in most of the oldest recipes for brigadeiro. Regardless of what's true, all we know is that the brigadeiro has a long and interesting history!
Brazilian Culture
Traditionally seen at birthdays, brigadeiros are now commonly eaten at weddings and other festive events as well. At these events, brigadeiros generally appear in great quantities in beautiful set-ups and displays on dessert tables, and no party or event is complete without them. One reason for its popularity is how easy it is to make it. The only hard part is knowing how long and how much to cook, as that affects the consistency In the native language, it is called ponto certo, meaning the right point to take it off the stove.
Brigadeiros have also gained an exotic status in the dessert category with confectioners around the world who embellish them in different ways. They can also be found in other countries due to Brazilian immigration patterns. Brigadeiros are now the national truffle of Brazil and are widely loved everywhere, just like their Brazilian hero namesake.
Modern Twists
Like traditional fudge, brigadeiros have many variations in flavor and toppings. Some popular examples include a caramelized version known as bala baiana that contains coconut fudge inside, with a crunchy caramel outer shell. Brigadeiros can also come in many different forms. For example, if the consistency is too soft to be rolled into a ball, it can be served in shot glasses or little cups or piped onto serving spoons. The classic brigadeiro's chocolate and condensed milk flavor can also be used as frosting or filling for cakes and other treats. Haagen Dazs even launched a Tres Leches Brigadeiro ice cream awhile ago, which was based on the deconstruction of the candy.
One example of a modern twist on brigadeiros are Amarula Brigadeiros. These treats have South African butterscotch-flavored Amarula Cream Liqueur injected directly into them. They often are served with a liqueur-filled pipette, which resembles an eye dropper filled with creamy, beige booze, that is later plunged into the brigadeiro’s center. Biting into these brigadeiros can cause a bit of a mess, so there are other options of simply squirting the liqueur into one’s mouth, adding booze to the brigadeiro batter, or using an Amarula sidecar.
Brigadeiros are incredibly simple yet so versatile with many flavor and topping combinations. To answer our original question ("is that a fancy truffle?"), it essentially is a fancy truffle, but now we know there's so much more to it, as brigadeiros have a history as rich as they are.
Link to my brigadeiro recipe.
Link to my post on the science behind brigadeiros.
Want to Learn More? (always cite your sources, kids)
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