Rum balls are the perfect make ahead dessert for any Christmas party. These boozy, bite sized balls are ridiculously easy to make and last for a month when refrigerated! You can use any dark rum you like but traditional rum balls call for traditionally Indian Dark Rum – Old Monk!
Can you get drunk from eating rum balls?
The short answer? No! The long answer? Unlike some recipes where the alcohol burns off, rum balls definitely taste of alcohol. The flavour gets stronger as it sits. However, since we’re only using 2 tablespoons for 24 rum balls, it’s almost impossible to get drunk off of them! You’ll get a sugar rush way before you get drunk!
Equipment
Since this is a no-cook recipe, you might be thinking you don’t need any equipment at all. However, the one thing that will help you is a good mixer. You don’t make rum balls to feed one or two people – you make rum balls to feed your entire family! Crushing up those many biscuits can be very tiring by hand. Not to mention, rum balls require the biscuits to be crushed very finely, which is best done in a mixer. Luckily, I’ve got the Wonderchef Sumo Mixer Grinder to help me out. It comes with four different jars that you can use for different preparations. The large 1.5 litre jar is meant for wet grinding, but it’s also perfect for this recipe! The mixer works fast and efficiently, however the thing I love most about it is how sturdy it is. The ergonomic design of the base helps the mixer to stay firmly in place. There’s no need to place your hand on the top of the Sumo!
Non-alcoholic version
Since this does taste quite a bit of rum, if you’re a teetotaler, you’re going to need some substitutions! Cranberry juice is a wonderful substitution. Keeping with the theme of Christmas, cranberry juice brings some holiday flavour to the rum balls. You can also use rum essence to keep the same flavour without adding the alcohol. However I would highly recommend going with the rum. The flavour is intense but oh-so-good. The flavours also develop as it sits in the fridge so keep that in mind while adding your flavourings.
Coatings, Dustings and Toppings
There are so many ways to finish a rum ball. The classic coating of coconut is traditional for a reason – it’s delicious! The bitter dusting of cocoa powder perfectly offsets the sweetness of the balls. If you’re in the mood to put in some time, you can dip the balls in melted chocolate as well. Similarly, if you’ve got some extra ground nuts lying around, just roll the balls in them for a crunchy coating.
RECIPE CARD
Makes: 24 rum balls
Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
- 40 Marie Biscuits
- ¾ cup Dessicated Coconut + ½ cup for topping
- 6 Tbsp almonds
- 3 Tbsp Cocoa Powder
- ¾ cup Condensed Milk
- 3 Tbsp Old Monk (or any dark rum)
Method:
- Crush the biscuits in a mixer until well with no large chunks of biscuits. Set aside.
- Crush the almonds in the mixer until you get fairly small pieces.
- Add the crushed biscuits to a bowl along with the coconut, crushed almonds and cocoa powder. Mix well.
- Add the condensed milk and rum and mix thoroughly until you have a tight dough.
- Divide equally into 24 balls (each ball is around 27g) and smooth out the tops.
- Add the remaining coconut to a plate and roll the balls uniformly until all sides are covered with the coconut.
- Place the rum balls into an airtight container and chill for a few hours before serving.
- Enjoy!
Author: Sneha Sundar is the creator of You Dim Sum, You Lose Some; a philosophy she adopts both in and out of the kitchen.
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