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Balas Baians (Bala de vidro)

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Ingredients
  

Balls

  • 1 can (395 g) sweetened condensed milk See #1
  • 1 tbsp unsalted, room-temperaeture butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cups sweetened coconut flakes, optional unsweetened See #2

Caramel coating

  • 3 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 1/4 cup water
  • 1 tbsp white vinegar See #3

Instructions
 

Balls

  • In a medium non-stick pan, mix the ball ingredients on medium-low heat.
  • Stir constantly until the mixture thickens, reduces, and turns a few shades darker.
  • Spatula dragged across the bottom should reveal the bottom of the pan for a few seconds.
  • Spread the mix in a greased or clingwrap-lined dish, and allow to cool to room temperature.
  • Lightly grease your hands, and roll 1/2 tbsp of the mixture into balls.

Caramel coating

  • In another medium, non-stick pan, add the caramel ingredients.
  • Cook over medium heat without stirring. You can gently swirl the pot if you think it's needed, but you reallly shouldn't.
  • The liquid will slowly turn to a light honey colour after 5-7 minutes, and quickly get darker.
  • You should be using a high-temp thermometer, and remove from heat at 300F. You can test by dropping a spoonfull into a bowl of cold water. It should break like glass, and have just a little elasticity.
  • Move the pan to an element on low to keep the caramel liquid.

Final assembly

  • Either use a fork to lower the balls and roll them around, or use a long toothpick/skewer to dip the balls in the caramel, then set aside on parchment paper to cool to room temperature.
  • Once the caramel is fully cooled, you can trim off any excess caramel, just be careful not to press on the ball itself as the caramel will crack.

Notes

  1. Must be "sweetened condensed". The unsweetened kind will need a lot of sugar to be dissolved, and will likely crystalize on you. Evaporated milk is also not the correct thing to use.
  2. I used unsweetened, and found it to be perfectly fine. Use a short/small length of coconut. Medium or long shreds will result in bumpy balls. I might try this with coconut flour one day, but I like the texture and I'd be concerned this would turn into a coconut-flour cake pop.
  3. Any acid works; lemon juice, orange juice, etc