This is one of our favourite family recipes to make for Christmas. I have childhood memories of helping my Mum shape the different layers of the balls & licking the much-prized spoons. My sisters & I still each make these every Christmas to keep the tradition going ( & because let's face it, anything with this much chocolate needs to be made every Christmas!!) These are a little fiddly & involved, but trust me, they are worth every second they take ~ yes, they are indeed that good!!
Triple Layered Chocolate Balls
INGREDIENTS:
Inner Centres:
185g chocolate ( I use Cadbury milk, but dark makes it a little richer which is also nice);
1/2 cup sour cream;
NB. This tends to make too many centres, but I never have troubles getting rid of left over centres ;)
Middles:
250g plain sweet biscuits (crushed) (This is the only time each year when I buy shop brought sweet biscuits. I'm sure homemade would work fine if they were nice & crisp & crushed up well.) I brought gluten free so I could enjoy these as well;
1/4 cup sherry;
1/4 cup cocoa;
1 cup pure icing sugar;
125g chopped nuts;
185g butter (melted);
Outsides:
125g chocolate;
30g Copha;
1 cup dessicated coconut;
METHOD:
1. Melt centres chocolate, cool slightly. Mix in sour cream. Cover & refrigerate overnight.
2. Shape into small balls (the size of a small grape). These are our balls & as you can see they are less than round, but I did have a lot of extra helpers (it's amazing how they are so much more willing to help with this than with cleaning the bathroom ;)). Put onto tray & place in freezer until hardened.
3. Middles: Combine biscuit crumbs, sherry, cocoa, icing sugar & nuts in a bowl. Pour in melted butter & mix well.
4. Flatten a circle in your hand & mould around an individual centre. Refrigerate or freeze until set.
5. Outsides: Melt chocolate & copha together. Cool, then add coconut.
6. Roll each ball in melted chocolate mixture & return to tray. Freeze (or refrigerate) until set.
NB: We store ours in the freezer & eat them straight from it. They need to be at least refrigerated, but since Christmas is so hot here, we enjoy them frozen!
Enjoy them ~ one at a time!!!
I hope you are having a wonderful time preparing to celebrate our Saviour's birthday!
Blessings friends
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