Turn A Can Of Sweetened Condensed Milk And Pumpkin Puree Into A Luxurious Fall Candy

Even though fall brings more pumpkins than you can shake a stick at, there's usually a surprising dearth of pumpkin treats available. Pumpkin pie is the old standby, but generally speaking we don't use pumpkin for much else beyond soup and maybe pumpkin bread. There are so many other sweet and savory dishes that could be made from this spooky-season squash, but they rarely get the attention they deserve. You can change that right now by using pumpkin puree, sweetened condensed milk, and a little butter to make pumpkin brigadeiros.

The recipe calls for one 14-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk, or about 1 ¾ cups. Pour the milk into a pot and add ¼ cup of pumpkin puree and a tablespoon of butter. The mixture needs to be cooked over medium heat until it becomes very thick. Once it's cooled enough to handle, the brigadeiros can be hand-rolled, coated in sugar or even pumpkin-spiced sugar, and shaped into little pumpkins using a toothpick to carve the ridges. A single chocolate chip can serve as the pumpkin stem. Some recipes call for cloves as stems, which look more realistic but shouldn't be eaten. 

The end result is a small, truffle-like sweet. Pumpkin brigadeiros have a soft, creamy texture thanks to the thickened milk and pumpkin puree. The condensed milk provides a smooth sweetness, while the pumpkin balances that sweetness and gives the candies a softer texture than traditional brigadeiros. Too much pumpkin can prevent them from thickening enough to hold their shape, though, so use caution.

Rolling a brigadeiro in sugar isn't required, but it does add some texture. If you use sanding sugar or coarse decorating sugar, it gives a little crunchy contrast to the brigadeiro's softness. The sugar also hides any potential imperfections in the surface and makes them look nicer. Additionally, the exterior of sugar-coated brigadeiros develops a bit of a thin crust as it dries. Brigadeiros are a popular Brazilian sweet that we previously included in our list of 12 Brazilian desserts you need to try at least once. 

Their origin is disputed but one account traces them back to 1945, when condensed milk became more popular thanks to food rationing after World War II. The candy was sold by women at political rallies in support of Air Force Brigadier Eduardo Gomes during his presidential run, hence its name. The original version of the sweet was made with chocolate, not pumpkin. We have a recipe for a chocolate-cinnamon brigadeiro you could try, which would also make a fun Halloween-themed display next to the orange pumpkin brigadeiros if you're looking to put out a festive spread.

Since their creation, brigadeiros have become a birthday tradition in Brazil. Beyond chocolate and pumpkin, these candies come in a surprising range of flavors, from lemon and pepper to cilantro and onion. There's even a recipe for cactus brigadeiro. When fall ends, you can adapt the same basic recipe with winter spices or Christmas flavors, too.