Best Brazilian Coconut Truffles

December 11, 2011

Brazilian coconut truffles, beijinho de coco, are an easy holiday treat that the whole family will love. Creamy sweetened condensed milk is cooked down until thickened. Then unsweetened shredded coconut is added to the mixture. If you cannot find unsweetened coconut in your local market, look for it in Latin or Asian markets. I have also seen it at Whole Foods. This is one of my favorite holiday sweets and I know you'll enjoy them as much as I do.

Ingredients:

1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 tablespoon butter, plus more for pan
1/4 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
Granulated sugar for decorating
whole cloves for decorating

Directions:

Bring sweetened condensed milk and butter to a simmer in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Continue to cook, stirring often, until the milk has thickened and when stirring you can see the bottom of the pan, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in coconut, and pour into a buttered bowl and let cool.
With buttered or oiled hands, form milk mixture into tablespoon-sized balls, and roll in sugar. Stick a clove into each beijinho as decoration. Place each truffle in a small candy cup or separated on a large plate when finished.