Brigadeiros Vs Chocolate Truffles: What's The Difference?

On their spherical, chocolatey surface, Brigadeiros and chocolate truffles may seem much the same. Both confections consist of bite-sized, soft chocolate interiors with an equally chocolatey coating, and both are perfect treats for satisfying even the most stubborn sweet tooth. However, you would be remiss in thinking that these two similarly round candies are one and the same. In fact, brigadeiros and chocolate truffles are actually quite different, having separate base ingredients, and origins that are half a world (and two world wars) apart. 

Chocolate truffles (not to be confused with bonbons) are iconic candies originating from France, and have a chocolate ganache center with a cocoa powder outer coating. They can also be coated in a hard chocolate outer shell, or have other toppings such as shredded coconut. Truffles have a smooth, creamy consistency, and a rich, chocolate-forward flavor that puts the lush ingredient on full display. Brigadeiros, on the other hand, are a Brazilian treat, much chewier in their texture. Unlike truffles, they have a base of cocoa powder and sweetened condensed milk along with butter. This gives them a thicker consistency and a distinctively sweeter, slightly caramel-like taste. These confections are most often rolled in chocolate sprinkles before serving, giving them a slight crunch that is both delicious and festive. Both treats, however, are delicious, and can be made by most any willing and eager home baker, and either treat makes for a great addition to most any gathering.

Little balls of chocolate ganache known as truffles. You can find them at your local grocery store or at a high end confectionary. But how did these sweet treats come to be, and how did they get their frankly fungal name? Let's dig in. The exact origins of the chocolate truffle are debated. Most likely, the treat came to be either towards the end of the 19th century, or at the beginning of the 20th century, around 1890 to 1920.

One of the most popular narratives posits that the chocolate treat came to be thanks to a fortuitous kitchen mishap. This theory states that in the 1920s, a cook in the kitchen of Georges Escoffier mistakenly poured hot cream into a bowl of chopped chocolate while trying to make pastry cream. Escoffier called out "ganache" upon seeing the mistake, a French slang meant to insult the cook's competence. However, this accident resulted in a creamy, chocolatey result, and the chocolate cream was soon rolled out into small balls and covered in cocoa powder.

Another theory suggests that the candies came about in 1895, when baker Louis Dufour was looking to make a Christmas treat to sell at his shop. In 1902, these truffles made their way to England, and soon took off. Whatever their origin, these candies were named truffles for their resemblance to the lumpy brown mushrooms. However, neither theory has been confirmed, and we might never know for sure exactly who is responsible for the iconic French candy.

Unlike chocolate truffles, brigadeiros did not get their start in the prestigious kitchens of France. Rather, they were invented in Brazil, and are supposedly the result of grassroots political campaigning. Now, the exact origin of brigadeiros is foggy, but they likely came to be during the 1940s. During this time, products such as sweetened condensed milk were gaining popularity in the country thanks to both marketing by Nestlé and the rationing of fresh ingredients to product shortages caused by World War II. Candies and treats, made with shelf-stable ingredients, emerged as popular snacks in the country, including brigadeiros and Brazilian lemonade, which also incorporates sweetened condensed milk

The exact origins of brigadeiros are unknown, but their rise in popularity, and their name, originate from an unsuccessful political campaign. In 1946, Air Force Brigadier Eduardo Gomes ran for president. Many women showed their support for the Brigadier by making and distributing the chocolate candies, which were then called brigadeiros, after the candidate. Unfortunately, Gomes did not win his campaign bid, but the chocolate treats named after him have stood the test of time. They are still often served at celebrations and holidays.  

While the origins of brigadeiros and chocolate truffles are worlds apart, the real difference between the two candies comes down to their main ingredients. While truffles are made of a ganache base, which consists of chopped solid chocolate (usually semi-sweet) and heavy cream, brigadeiros use cocoa powder, butter, and sweetened condensed milk. Essentially, truffles use a less shelf-stable base thanks to the heavy cream, and a chocolate that contains both sugar and cocoa solids. This helps the heavy cream to mix evenly with the chocolate, as it is already incorporated into a solid base. Ganaches vary in flavor and sweetness depending on what kind of chocolate is used in the base, however, a basic truffle features a ganache with a semisweet base.

Brigadeiros, on the other hand, do not use solid chocolate or cream. Rather, they use the shelf-stable sweetened condensed milk and cocoa powder as a source of cocoa solids without extra sugar. Cocoa powder is much more bitter than semi-sweet chocolate, but black cocoa powder can give a subtler taste. The sweetened condensed milk more than makes up for this bitterness, providing a caramel-like flavor to the finished chocolate. Both candies balance sweetness with the bitterness of chocolate, however, as truffles are often rolled in cocoa powder to add a bite to the indulgent ganache. As to which one tastes the best, you'll just have to try both and decide for yourself.