Brigadeiros, a delicious Brasilian chocolate truffles. Created in the 1940s and still popular today. This candy is found in many brasilian parties such as birthdays, weddings, and get togethers. I love brigadeiros, because it is easy to make and also the basic recipe can be used to create many other flavors. Check out this video from Marcela, the sweet brigadier to learn more about brigadeiro’s history and how to order this and other delicious treat right to your home.
Our July 2012 Daring Bakers’ Host was Dana McFarland and she challenged us to make homemade crackers! Dana showed us some techniques for making crackers and encouraged to use our creativity to make each cracker our own by using ingredients we love.
Servings: Approximately 80 crackers
1⅔ cups all-purpose flour
2¼ cups grated pepper jack cheese, firmly packed
2 teaspoons dried oregano
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ cup vegetable oil
½ cup water
¼ teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon sugar
Directions:
1. Combine the spice topping and set aside.
2. Grate the cheese and put in the bowl of a food processor with flour, oregano, salt and pepper and pulse to combine. This can also be done by hand.
3. Add the oil and pulse until the consistency of wet sand is reached.
4. Add enough water for the dough to come together.
5. Form the dough into two disks, wrap with cling film and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
6. Heat the oven to moderate 325°F.
7.Working with a quarter of the dough at a time, either use a rolling pin or roll out in your pasta rollers to 1/8 of an inch (3 mm) thick. If you use pasta rollers, ensure the dough is well floured so as not to stick.
8. Cut the strips into cracker shapes or cut out using a cookie cutter.
9. Transfer to a parchment lined cookies sheet and sprinkle with the spice mixture.
10. Bake for 20-25 minutes until medium golden brown.
11. Store in an airtight container and eat within three days
Servings: Approximately 48 crackers
½ cup butter, well softened
2¼ cups grated aged cheddar cheese (the better the cheese, the better the cracker), firmly packed
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons all-purpose (plain) flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary
Changes: If you are making Romeo and Julieta: I used 1 cup of hard ricotta shredded and 1 1/4 c cheddar cheese. Instead of resemary I used 2T sugar.
1. Combine butter, rosemary and cheese in a stand mixer and beat well (can also be done by hand)
2. Add the flour, salt and nuts and stir to combine
3. Form the dough into two tight logs and wrap with cling film
4. Chill for at least an hour and up to several days. The log can be frozen at this point for several months.
5. Heat the oven to moderate 325°F.
6. Slice a log into 5mm (1/5 inch) coins and place on a parchment lined baking sheet
7. Bake about 10 minutes until golden brown
8. Store in an airtight container and eat within three days
9. Try this recipe with different cheeses, nuts (or no nuts), and spices. Get creative!
The end product is something that should be crispy so, if after your crackers have cooled they remain a little soft, simply pop them back in the oven until crispy. The leaner the dough (less fat and cheese) I find are the most successful baked twice. More rich doughs tend to be perfect when browned and less likely to need additional baking. You really are just drying out the dough rather than cooking the ingredients so keep any eye on them and adjust cooking times to suit your oven.
For the Romeo and Julieta Crackers: Roll out the dough (thin) cut into squares and add a piece of goiabada in the middle of the dough. Pinch the ends and bake. When done I sprinkled a mixture of cinamon sugar on top.
This is a light breaded coating. Usually people use beer to make the batter. I wanted to try it with soda. You may choose a ginger ale, sprite or seven up! Enjoy
For the batter:
2 egg yolks
1/2 c soda (ginger ale, sprite or seven up)
1/2 c flour
1/2 t salt
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 -1 t cayenne pepper (depending how spicy you may like it)
Mix is all together. Dry the fish fillets (I used cod, but tilapia would work very well) using a paper towel. Salt and pepper both sides, then dip them into the soda mixture.
Fry each fillet for about 3-4 minutes each side.
Simple Cake with Passion Fruit Ganache
For the Cake:
3 c flour
6 T corn starch
3 eggs (separated)
3 c sugar
3 T butter
1 c milk
1 T baking powder
splash of vanilla
In a bowl add flour, corn starch, and baking powder -set aside. In a cup add the milk and vanilla. Set aside. In a mixer, beat the egg yolks and sugar until fluffy. Add the butter, mix until it comes together. Add rest 1/3 of flour mix, 1/2 of milk mix then flour, milk and flour. Mix well, set aside. Beat in egg whites until soft/medium peaks. Fold into cake batter. Pour into greased cake pan and bake at 350 until done. (I check by inserting a cake tester in the middle of the cake, if it comes out clean , it is done)
For the Ganache:
250 grms melted chocolate
1/8-1/4 c passion fruit juice
1/4 c heavy whipping cream
Mix all ingredients. Pour this mixture on top of the already baked cake.
Pastel is a deep fried pastry dough. Some of the most common are filled with chicken, meat, ham and cheese, catupiry, and other mixtures. You can also make it sweet with chocolate, goiabada, doce de leite and others. It is easy to find pastel in Brasil. It is common to find it in the street corners and street markets. It is a delicious treat.
Here is one of my favorite dough recipes. I have about 3 of them that I rotate and make when I crave pastel. I would say they are all about the same. The secret is to be able to open the dough nice and thin before filling it. I use my mom’s dough roller (cilindro) which I brought from Brasil. I think any pasta maker machine would work perfectly.
2 c warm water (about)
1 kl flour
1/2 c oil
2 T butter
1 T baking powder
2 eggs
pinch of salt
Mix the flour, baking powder, butter and oil. Add the eggs, one at a time. Pour the water slowly in the middle of this mixture and mix until it comes together. It will be nice and soft. Let the dough rest for about 1 hour. Cut pieces of the dough and use the pasta machine to make thin rectangular shapes. (it will be thin like a paper). When I use the dough roller, I start on the highest number (thick) then start lowering the numbers until I get a thin dough that will be able to hold the filling. This dough will freeze very well.
Fill your pasteis with your favorite fillings. Fry in hot oil. Enjoy!
A kitchen scale will come in handy to measure the ingredients for this recipe 😉
This is such a fun activity to do with the kids. My little one loves to help measure the ingredients and watch the dough come together. It is a fun time from beginning to end. The best part is to see their imagination while they make all sorts of things with the playdough. Enjoy!
1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 cup water
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
Cook approximately 3 minutes on medium heat. It will start to leave sides of the pan.
Knead until it is nice and smooth.
Dive the dough and color (I use Wilton paste colors)
Let the kids have fun. I usually get all sorts of kitchen gadgets and let their imagination run wild!
Store in the refrigerator in a container or zip loc bags.