All images copyright Mary’s Brigadeiro. Used with permission.
Mary Oliveira (left)

chocolate creations inspired by brazil, perfected in canada

Who knew that a “Brigadeiro” was a traditional Brazilian dessert? It was originally created by confectioner Heloisa Nabuco de Oliveira in Rio de Janeiro. During the 1940s in Brazil, milk and sugar were difficult to come by so condensed milk was combined with butter and chocolate to make sweet, delicious desserts.

Mary Oliveira is an immigrant to Canada. In 2015, she decided to share some of her Brazilian heritage with chocolate lovers in Toronto. Starting with the family recipes passed down to her by her mother, she opened Mary’s Brigadeiro. One taste is all you need to understand why this has become a popular spot.

Mary only uses high-quality ingredients, sourced locally wherever possible. She and her team of five employees carefully make the brigadeiro by hand: cooking, mixing, and cooling precisely to achieve the desired results. Once the mix has cooled, they create each perfect bite by hand and finish it with a coating of fine sprinkles. A perfect Brigadeiro is a beautiful marriage between a creamy truffle, a chewy caramel, and traditional fudge.

When Mary says that her products are hand crafted, she means it. Her team create brigadeiros in small batches, packaging each order individually. She also offers vegan-friendly options.