Pineapple Coconut Trifle

Here in Brazil, there are a few desserts they are really crazy about. One is trifles- they like to later just about any sort of sweet things in a dish, and somehow it always works out. Another dessert they love is brigadeiro- a chewy chocolate truffle made simply of sweetened condensed milk and cocoa powder that is cooked, cooled and rolled into balls coated with chocolate sprinkles. These brigadeiro have many variations- I recently tried a delicious salted caramel one- among them brig a white brigadeiro. It is made by omitting the cocoa powder and simply cooking down sweetened condensed milk. I like to make this easier by doing it in the microwave!
This dessert, which I got my aunt to teach me how to make, combines a trifle with brigadeiro. Instead of rolling the white brigadeiro into balls, it is made a bit thinner and layered with pineapple and coconut shavings. It is the perfect combination of classic tropical flavors. The chewy coconut, juicy pineapple and creamy brigadeiro pair together very well. The one above was made with just one layer of each, but it is even better with two. Double layers of all the delicious flavors make it a classic Brazilian dessert that can, and should, be made everywhere. Enjoy!

Pineapple Coconut Trifle

1/2 of a pineapple, cut into very small pieces (you can also buy crushed pineapple and drain it)
2 14-oz. cans sweetened condensed milk
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup shredded coconut (we used fresh, but you can used dried if you can't find fresh)

In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine the sweetened condensed milk with the butter.
Microwave for 2 minutes, stir, another 2 minutes, stir. Microwave in 1-minute increments, stirring inbetween, until the mixture reaches the point of a caramel sauce- not thick enough to scoop but not thin enough to drizzle easily.
Layer half of the chopped pineapple in a glass dish- a 2-quart one will do. Cover with half of the milk/butter mixture and then half of the coconut. Repeat the three layers.