A Brazilian blogger published a text about what’s worth posting and what’s not. A friend of mine, who also has a blog, read it and wrote about it, too.
My turn: I’ll tell you something about my family and some may think it’s blogging material and some may think it’s not. I lost a very dear uncle in a car crash in 2006. He was very close – also my brother’s godfather – and for a couple of days I kept wondering if that had really happened; it was really hard for me to deal with the fact that I would no longer see him.
His girlfriend was pregnant and this week we celebrated my cousin’s first birthday. The party was held at my grandmother’s house and I was in charge of making the candy. I prepared beijinho, brigadeiro and bicho-de-pé – things the sweet Linda is an expert in making – and also this chocolate powdered milk candy.
I tried filling each ball with a piece of glacé cherries, but the moisture in them ruined the candy texture; I had to drop the idea.
It was pure joy to know my baby cousin and also to notice that she looks just like my uncle – the resemblance is amazing. One cycle is over but another has begun; life goes on and that fills me with hope.
Fluffy candy
from Nestlé’s Brazilian website
200g instant chocolate powder*
400g whole powdered milk
1 can (395g) sweetened condensed milk
½ cup (120ml) whole milk, room temperature
granulated sugar, for dusting**
In a very large bowl, place the chocolate powder, powdered milk, sweetened condensed milk and milk and mix well – you’ll need some elbow grease, since it’s a very thick and firm mixture.
Make balls using ½ tablespoon of the mixture and roll them into the granulated sugar; transfer the candy to small fluted paper cups.
* I believe that one could use 100g of cocoa powder instead; I haven’t tried it with this particular recipe, but I have tried that substitution in a number of other recipes with great results
**you can dip the balls in tempered semisweet chocolate, instead of rolling them in sugar; 500g chocolate would be enough
Makes 90
Yum!!!
ReplyDeleteI made beijinhos de coco last week with some leftover sweetened condensed milk. Some of my best memories of being in Brasil include making candy with my husband's cousin--I think we used instant nestle powder, too.
My mouth is watering...
These look superb Patricia. I'm also very familiar with brigadeiros and beijinhos - I discovered them a few years ago through some Brazilian friends. I love the names (beijinho means "little kiss" in Portuguese, right?) but I especially love brigadeiros, I always have to eat more then just one!!
ReplyDeleteThose "little kisses" look delicious! Sorry to hear about your uncle.
ReplyDeleteAnything about a cherished member of the family is worth posting and worth reading. Thanks so much for sharing, Patricia. :) This is so similar to another treat we have here-- pastillas de leche, which is only milk-flavored (no cocoa). But it is one of my favorite local treats and I just know I'll love this too. :)
ReplyDeleteI agree with Manggy--if it's a subject close to your heart, them sharing it is a good thing. So thank you.
ReplyDeleteThose look wonderful! I'll bet I could get into trouble eating those, hehe.
Patricia, these have condensed milk...that'll make me swoon alone!
ReplyDeleteThanks for opening up about your uncle. Family is important and when we lose someone close...OUCH.
Those look wonderful. Your photos always make what you create look lovely, but these are spectacular. How fitting for the bittersweet occasion.
ReplyDeleteI am officially in love with sweetened condensed milk. It is just the best stuff on earth! Thanks for sharing this recipe and story. I am so glad you got to spend time with your little cousin!
ReplyDeleteThere is always hope. *hugs*
ReplyDeleteI say, post whatever you want. It's your site. :) I always like reading the author's personal stories.
Anyway, on to your fluffy candy -- these are lovely. I'm trying to look for more ingredients but I guess that's it. Wow. I think I made something similar before, but only by chance. I was a little girl of seven, and I ate chocolate powder and powdered milk with a spoon, and I 'ate' condensed milk out of the can as well. Haha. Anyway, I mixed them all up and rolled it in sugar so they're not too sticky to hold. Oh, childhood memories.
Patricia, you are a sweet person, I'm sure of it! Happiness, pain, joy, laughter, tears, they're all worth sharing. That's also part of the cycle, letting others know how we feel, it makes us all that much closer!
ReplyDeleteThat recipe sounds amazing, you are quite the talented candy maker! :)
Patricia everything you bake / cook is worth reading :-D
ReplyDeleteYou are a beautiful person dear!
Silvia
What a wonderful way to remember your uncle by doing for your baby cousin. The candy is also beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI feel blogging is an online diary of what you want it to be. If it's important to you, it's worth writing.
Your candies look so beautiful. I wish I could reach through the monitor and take a bite of one to see how it tastes. I guess I'll just have to make it myself and see. Is instant chocolate powder what you stir into a glass of milk for chocolate milk?
ReplyDeleteSweetened condensed milk is something I have in the pantry but never used. I think its about time after seeing these wonderful creations. Thanks for sharing your personal thoughts with us Patricia about your family.
ReplyDeleteWhat a sad story about your uncle. I'm so sorry for your loss.
ReplyDeleteI think I need to make these, they must be too good!
Bittersweet - of course that was worth posting. You have such a good outlook on things. Death is what makes life so precious, right? Of course that doesn't make it any easier to accept, I realize.
ReplyDeleteThe candy is beautiful - just like your post!
What an odd name for a candy...the only candy that is fluffy to me is cotton. :)
ReplyDeleteSorry about your uncle.
Hi Patricia -
ReplyDeleteIf you feel that something is worth posting, then it's worth posting! It's your blog, not anyone else's. I'm sorry to hear about your uncle, and happy birthday to your cousin!
What a sweet post! This shows how important food is to family history--and the present. I loved reading this.
ReplyDeleteThat's a lovely bittersweet story, thanks for sharing it with us Patricia! :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely way to remember your uncle, to celebrate his life through the life of his little daughter. And with sweets, too!
ReplyDeleteIt's that old favourite condensed milk again. It rarely lets you down. The fluffy candy look delicious.
ReplyDeletePatricia, these sound delightful! I love anything with condensed milk.
ReplyDeleteI love your candy, your beautiful soul and your snsitivity. Your cousin is very lucky to have a lving family surrouding her.
ReplyDeleteThose look good!
ReplyDeleteI always enjoy reading something personal - be it happy or sad, it makes me feel close to others even if I never get to know them in person. It somewhat makes the world a more sociable place for me - thanks for sharing stories as well as recipes, Patricia!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this story Patricia. What a lovely way to remember you uncle. Not to mention your delicious candy. I would love to try it.
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry about your uncle. That must have been hard...and so scary. Your baby cousin is a little blessing.
ReplyDeleteThe fluffy candy looks delicious.
Thanks for sharing something about yourself...and thank you for the wonderful recipe...I'm so sure my kids would love this :)
ReplyDeleteI'm truly sorry to hear about your uncle, Patricia. Thank you for sharing. And thank you for your always scrumptious desserts. In fact, I have an award waiting for you on my blog. :)
ReplyDeleteHi Patricia,
ReplyDeleteI love your blog and have been reading it for some time! It is so amazing to read about the culinary adventures of someone so far away.
I've been writing my own since August, and am just discovering all the wonderful people out there who are blogging too.
I was tagged by one of these new friends, and I'd like to send the tag to you now if you don't mind. Please check my blog, Suite Apple Pie.
Lindsey, you are a PhD in Brazilian food, too!:)
ReplyDeleteMarianna, you are right - little kiss!
Shari, thank you.
Mark, you are so, so sweet, my friend. And I would love to try the pastillas de leche, do you happen to have a recipe?
Elle, thank you for reading me.
Pete, I agree with you, ouch.
Mari, I'm flattered, thank you, darling!
Jenn, she's the most adorable little thing!
Joy, childhood memories are wonderful, and so many of them are connected with food!
LyB, I'm glad I can share this with you.
Silvia, you are so kind, my dear, tks!
Cathy, I think you are right, my friend. Thank you for your support.
Lynn, that's exactly it - I had doubts about how you call this type of chocolate there.
Pete, in my case, it's a dangerous thing to have sweetened condensed milk in the pantry. :)
Linda, you are already an expert in Brazilian candy, wow!
Abby, thank you so much, dear.
Pea, you think? :)
Vicki, thank you for stopping by and for your support.
Sher, you are right.
Lorraine, thank you, darling!!
Lydia, I want the little girl to be part of my life.
Margaret, a very favorite of mine, indeed! :)
Syrie, thank you!
Warda, we are lucky to have her,too.
Kevin, tks!
Eva, how great to see you around again, dear! Thank you!
KJ, thank you, darling.
Emiline, very scary, indeed. And you are right, she is a blessing.
Anne, I'm sure they would!
Susa, thank you, my dear, I'll be checking it out!
Sarah, thank you for leaving such a nice comment, I'll check your blog, too!
You have a healthy attitude - it comes through in your words - and how fitting that this treat is round - so significant of the circle of life.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry that you lost a family member, life can be so unfair - it makes us realise how fragile we are. (((Hugs Patricia)))
ReplyDeleteI think people should blog about whatever they want, nobody is making anyone else read it are they? If I see a post that I'm not interested in, I go to the next one.
So sweet, Patricia! How wonderful that your little cousin has all of you to help her know her father!!!
ReplyDeleteEverything that connects the world and makes it a better place is worth posting, like family recipes, family memories and the depth of your soul. My dream is to meet you one day and hug you for being such a wonderful caring person...not to mention a super blogger and blog reader :)
ReplyDeletePatricia, it does hurt like hell to lose a member of one's family...sorry about your uncle; but yes, through your little cousin, you can, of course look towards the future...hugs to you.
ReplyDeleteAs for the candy, they look wonderful.
I believe there is nothing that is unbloggable. I think blogging is a way to deal with all sorts of issues--from learning how to cook to experiencing a family loss. The blog is a way to get feelings off of your chest and to realize that there are other people out there who have the same issues and that sympathize with you. Blog on, friend!
ReplyDeletethose look so beautiful, like they could go in a nice box of chocolates! i wish you had a picture of what these look like in the center, i'm so curious! i'm so sorry to here about the loss of your uncle - it's something very personal and touching for you to share... thanks for sharing it w/your readers.
ReplyDelete