This is my version of a traditional Czech recipe for rum balls (rumovi kulicky) that my mom made every December when I was growing up. I've made them a little healthier, but both of my parents have declared them just as delicious.
These are vegan because they use coconut oil instead of butter (as in the original recipe). You could easily use either. I also use coconut sugar here instead of refined white sugar and you don’t miss a thing.
This recipe isn't hard to make, but it does involve a 3-step process so read it all the way through before beginning. First you soak the chopped raisins in port for 24 hours (you can let them soak for several days in the refrigerator, which is what I usually do). Then you make the chocolate mixture, but you need to let it sit and harden a bit before rolling them into balls. Usually letting it sit in the fridge for 30 minutes does the trick.
Enjoy!
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Chocolate Port Balls
Notes: For the dark chocolate I use either 70% dark chocolate chips or one and a half Trader Joe's fair trade organic 73% dark chocolate bars (100g each).
Special equipment:
Food processor
150 grams seedless raisins, chopped (such as Thompson)
Port to cover the raisins (about 1 cup)
150 grams walnuts, ground
150 grams dark chocolate
50 grams coconut oil
100 grams coconut sugar
Unsweetened cocoa powder for rolling (you'll need about 1/4 cup)
Place the chopped raisins into a bowl and pour in the port until they are just submerged. Cover the bowl and place it in the fridge for 2-24 hours.
When you're ready to make the chocolate balls, first grind the walnuts in a food processor so that they're finely ground but not yet walnut butter. (Walnut butter will start to form along the bottom edge of the bowl quite quickly if you're not careful.) If you don't have a food processor, you can chop them very finely by hand.
Next set up a double broiler with two saucepans adding about an inch of water to the bigger one and setting it on the stove over low to medium heat (just enough to get it to a very low simmer). Add the dark chocolate and coconut oil to the smaller saucepan, place it inside the bigger one, and stir until the chocolate and coconut oil are melted and smooth. Turn off the heat, remove the top pan (the one with the chocolate and oil mixture), dry off the bottom and place it on the counter (using a hot pad if needed).
Quickly strain the raisins the discard the port. I use a fine mesh strainer for this and give it a quick shake or two, but I let the raisins stay quite moist with port (this will make you very popular with family and friends).
Add the raisins, ground walnuts and coconut sugar to the chocolate mixture and stir well. It'll be too runny to form into balls at this point, so let it sit on the countertop or in the fridge long enough to solidify a bit, but still be pliable enough to roll. If the mixture gets to hard, just leave it out somewhere to soften again.
When you have a rollable consistency, set up a large plate with cocoa powder (I don't measure it out I just pour some onto the plate and pour more as I go if needed) and a glass bowl for storage. Scoop out some of the chocolate mixture (I use about one tablespoon full, although you can certainly go bigger or smaller), quickly use your hands to roll the mixture into a ball, roll in cocoa powder to coat, and place into the glass bowl. Work like this until you're through the entire chocolate mixture. Your hands will be a chocolate mess by the time you're through.
We store these in the freezer and take one or two out and let sit at room temperature for 10-20 minutes before eating. I like to have one with a cup of tea, my husband likes a small bit of port. Either way, they don't disappoint :)
