Coconut date balls
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
40 mins
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Total Time
40 mins
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Servings
20 servings (depending on how big you roll the balls)
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Calories
139 kcal
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Cuisine
International
Coconut date balls
Description
This recipe for Coconut date balls starts by gently melting butter, sugar, and cocoa powder to create a rich base. Large chunked dates soften in this mixture, warmed until they break down slightly. The addition of glacé cherries and candied peel introduces sweet fruity notes. Incorporating sherry and vanilla essence adds depth and aroma to the blend.
Once cooled briefly, beaten egg is whisked in carefully over low heat to combine and cook with the fruit mixture, ensuring proper binding. Crushed digestive biscuits contribute a crunchy texture dimension, while desiccated coconut coats the finished balls, enhancing flavor and mouthfeel.
These treats are ideal as small desserts or snacks, combining cocoa's richness with the sweetness of dried fruits. The mixture’s consistency balances chewiness and a crumbly bite thanks to the biscuits.
Ingredients
- 70 gram butter salted or unsalted
- 110 gram sugar
- 1.5 teaspoons cocoa powder
- 80 gram dates chopped into large chunks
- 80 gram glace cherry halved
- 30 gram candied citrus peel or 'mixed peel'
- 1 tablespoons sherry
- 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
- 200 gram digestive biscuits or other plain biscuit
- 70 gram desiccated coconut
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, gently melt the butter, sugar and cocoa powder together over a low heat, making sure to stir continuously.
- Once the mixture starts to look foamy and the sugar begins to dissolve, add the dates.
- Continue stirring the mixture with a spoon to prevent sticking. As the dates start to soften, gently break them up slightly with your spoon.
- Next, add the glacé cherries and candied peel to the mixture and stir them through. Let everything cook together for approximately 1 minute, then remove the saucepan from the heat.
- Allow the mixture to cool for about 5 minutes before proceeding.
- While the mixture is cooling, break the egg into a small bowl and whisk it until well beaten.
- Crush the biscuits into pieces that are approximately the size of M&Ms.
- After the 5-minute cooling period, place the saucepan back over low heat and gradually whisk in the beaten egg. Continue to cook the mixture for about 2 minutes, stirring continuously to ensure even cooking and prevent the egg from curdling.
- Add the sherry and vanilla essence and stir through. Remove the saucepan from the heat.
- Mix the crushed biscuits into the date mixture until well combined. Let the mixture cool down a bit before handling.
- Once the mixture has cooled down enough to handle, start rolling it into equal-sized balls. You can make the balls as small or large as you prefer. As a guide, we usually roll ours to the size of small ping pong balls.
- Place the desiccated coconut in a bowl. Take one coconut date ball at a time and roll it in the coconut until it is completely covered. Repeat this process for each ball until they are all coated with coconut.Top tip: After rolling the mixture into balls and coating them with coconut once, repeat the process. Re-roll each ball to perfect its shape and then dip them in the coconut again to achieve a denser covering. This is optional.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 20servings (depending on how big you roll the balls)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 139 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 139kcal | 7% |
| Carbohydrates | 21g | 7% |
| Protein | 1g | 2% |
| Fat | 6g | 9% |
| Saturated Fat | 4g | 20% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Trans Fat | 0.1g | 5% |
| Cholesterol | 6mg | 2% |
| Sodium | 74mg | 3% |
| Potassium | 66mg | 1% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 14g | 28% |
| Vitamin A | 76IU | 2% |
| Vitamin C | 0.1mg | 0% |
| Calcium | 11mg | 1% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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