Brazilian Pavê Dessert 

Pavê is a delicious Brazilian biscuit cake, made with creamy layers of sweetened condensed milk, biscuits, and chocolate. It’s an easy and delicious dessert recipe that doesn’t require any baking.

This Brazilian Pave cake (also known as Pavê de Chocolate) is a creamy dessert, similar to Tiramisù, but without coffee and with creamy layers or custard and chocolate. It’s a perfect dessert to end any formal or informal dinner and everyone will love it, children and adults alike!

Why you’ll love this Brazilian pave recipe

• 🥚Simple Ingredients: You only need 8 simple ingredients to make this delicious pave Brazilian dessert.
• 🥞Make Ahead: It only takes about 30 minutes to assemble it, and it’s the perfect dessert to make ahead.
• 🙌Easy to Make: No need for any special equipment to make this Pave cake. Only easy steps!
• 🕒 No Bake – It doesn’t require any baking. Simply assemble, and refrigerate!

What is Pave?

Pave is a rich and creamy Brazilian dessert, loved and appreciated all around the world. It has  layers of thick milky custard made with sweetened condensed milk, and layers of ladyfingers dipped in milk. It’s a mix between Tres Leches Cake and Tiramisù, combining the best of both worlds in a delicious dessert that will soon become your favorite.

Ingredients for Pave Dessert

• Eggs: Eggs will give consistency and help thicken the custard. 
• Sweetened condensed milk: Condensed milk is the key for a delicious and thick sweet custard.
• Milk: Milk is used in both the cream and to dip the ladyfingers. You can use your preferred milk of choice (whole, 2%, half and half, etc.).
• Cornstarch: It also helps thicken the custard.
• Vanilla: Vanilla will add a delicious flavor to the dessert.
• Heavy cream: Used for both the custard and the chocolate ganache.
• Lady fingers: Ladyfingers are the preferred choice for this dessert, but you can also use other similar biscuits or cookies.
• Dark chocolate: To make the chocolate ganache and to add chocolate shavings on the top. Use your favorite brand of dark chocolate.

This is just a short review of the ingredients; for the complete recipe, including quantities, scroll down to the recipe card 👇

How to make Brazilian Pave 

1. Make the custard: In a saucepan mix cornstarch, condensed milk and egg yolks. Mix until smooth. Add milk, vanilla paste and mix until combined.

2. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickens. Turn the heat off, add heavy cream and mix until combined. Allow to cool.

3. Assemble: Dip the biscuits in the milk and arrange them at the bottom of a small-medium sized dish. Spread 1/2 of the cream. Repeat one more time. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

4. Make the ganache: Chop the chocolate and place in a heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan heat the cream, when it starts to simmer, remove from heat and pour over the chocolate. Let it sit for 1-2 minutes and stir until melted and smooth.

5. Pour the ganache over the cake and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.

6. Before serving, shave some dark chocolate on top.

Tips and Tricks

• Dip the ladyfingers in milk just for a few seconds, to avoid them becoming too soggy.
• Do not skimp on the condensed milk, it’s what gives this dessert its unique texture and flavor.
• Don’t forget to refrigerate the dessert for at least 4 hours before serving, to achieve the perfect Brazilian chocolate Pave cake!

Make Ahead and Storage

This Pave dessert it’s the perfect make ahead dessert because it needs at least 4 hours of refrigeration. Make it in the morning for dinner, or make it even the evening before.

Store covered in the fridge and store leftovers in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Common Questions

More Dessert Recipes

If you liked this no-bake Pave dessert, you’ll enjoy also these other dessert recipes:

• Classic Tiramisù
• Tres Leches Cake
• Dubai Chocolate Tart
• Chocotorta
• Lazy Cake