Brigadeiro aka PIFPAF aka Peefy Puffy

In the past few weeks thanks to "Time Waster 101" aka Facebook, my sisters and I have reconnected with a family that we grew up with. If ever there was a family that matched ours spot for spot, it was the their's. Both our families had single mom's doing there best with three daughters a piece. Our mom's were best friends, daughters all best friend's. It was all fantastic until the summer that they moved to their mother's homeland BRAZIL! Yes...far... far...away to Brazil. We lost touch. My sisters and I have thought about them many times and reminisced. But however hard we searched we could never find them.

They left us with many happy childhood memories. But there is one food memory that left an indelible mark on my family. If anyone ever says the magic words..."Peefy Puffy" we all swoon to our knees. This is a delicious Brazilian chocolate candy...that they used to make for us. I never saw a recipe. My friend would just grab a few items out of the cupboard, dump them into a saucepan, stir religiously, and in no time at all we were all eating "Peefy Puffy". Foolishly I never thought to ask for the recipe...and then our dear friends were gone and our favorite sweet delight gone with them, never to be enjoyed by our family again....until...

We found them!!! And don't you know that the first thing I wanted to know was the recipe for what we all lovingly refer to as "Peefy Puffy".

Well it turns out if you actually write it down it is informally called PifPaf. The informal term is used in Brazil when you make this, let it cool on a plate and then simply dip in with your spoon and eat it up. Ohhh... so good. And what stomach aches I had as a girl eating way too much of this chocolate-y goo!


It is referred to as "Brigadiero" when you actually take the cooled down chocolate and roll into little balls, (looks exactly like their distant cousin the French chocolate truffle) and cover in either chocolate sprinkles or roll in cocoa powder.

Brigadiero ~ PifPaf ~ Peefy Puffy
Yields aprox. 24
adapted by M. Edgar

2 heaping tablespoons cocoa powder
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 stick of butter

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add condensed milk and stir continuously until starts to thicken. Add cocoa powder (sift if you do not like the look of tiny lumps) add more cocoa if desired. Stir constantly until you see the bottom of the pan and thick. Pour onto a flat plate and let cool. Or...just grab a spoon because you have to have some now! But be very careful because it is very hot!!

When cool scoop up portions with a teaspoon and roll in chocolate sprinkles or cocoa powder.