Rum Balls (Rumové Guľky)

Ingredients: 2 cups powdered sugar, 2 cups ground walnuts, 1 yolk, shot of rum, chocolate shavings, crystal sugar, coconut shavings
Prep time: 20 minutes

Rumové Guľky (small rum balls) is a very popular Christmas desert. These treats will be included on any holiday table along with a wide assortment of other pastries. The great thing about this particular sweet is that it is extremely easy to make. It requires no baking and you can make it literally in under 20 minutes. This was another dish I brought in to the Sv. Mikuláš party, along with the 100-person sauerkraut soup.

Combine two cups of powdered sugar (práškový cukor) and two cups of ground walnuts (mleté orechy, “home made” in a food processor).

Add a yolk (žĺtko) and a shot of rum (štamprlík rumu). Or, in my case, a shot of Scotch whiskey, since I didn’t have any rum. Mix together using a wooden spoon. I started mixing with my hands but this was a bad idea. The starting mixture is extremely sticky!

Grate chocolate (čokoláda) and mix with crystal sugar (kryštálový cukor). I used semi-sweet baking chocolate, and I shredded it using my food grater. I also waited a while before forming the balls. This is because I wanted to eat my breakfast of scrambled eggs before they got cold. However, I think that by waiting a bit, the dough has gotten less sticky and easier to work with. Simply take out a piece of the nut mixture and roll it into a nice small sphere.

Cover in the chocolate/sugar mixture, or cover in coconut (kokos) shredding. Place in a paper basket.

And that’s it. They tasted great, despite being made with whiskey instead of rum. For another great sweet treat, checkout the recipe for plum dumplings.