Hazelnut Coconut Balls Serbian Rafaelo Kuglice Recipes

HOMEMADE RAFFAELLO COCONUT BALLS

Steps:

• Roast almonds: Place in a large pan without the addition of any fat and roast shaking the pan often until the almonds are golden on both sides. Please don't leave them unattended, this will only take a few minutes, and you don't want them to get burned.Immediately transfer the roasted almonds to a plate and let them cool.
• Combine: Place 200 g/ 7 oz/ 3 1/3 cups of the desiccated coconut in a bowl. Add the sweetened condensed milk and stir well. Leave to stand for about 5 minutes, so the shredded coconut will completely absorb the milk.
• Roll balls: Line a large platter/plate with some baking paper. Place the remaining desiccated coconut in a shallow bowl or a plate.Start rolling the coconut balls. Do that with slightly wet hands; it works much better. Take a small amount of the coconut mixture in your hand, flatten it, place a roasted almond in the middle and roll the ball. The truffle should be more or less the size of a larger cherry or the size of a real Raffaello.
• Coat with coconut: Roll the balls into the extra coconut in the bowl and place them on the platter.
• Refrigerate: When all the balls are ready, place the platter in the fridge and allow the Raffaellos to firm up. Then, transfer to an airtight container and keep refrigerated.

HAZELNUT COCONUT BALLS (SERBIAN RAFAELO KUGLICE)

Steps:

• If you haven't purchased toasted, peeled hazelnuts, bake in 300 degree oven until the skin (peel) starts to fall off. If all of the peels do not come off entirely, that is OK.
• Make a thick syrup by cooking the water, butter, unsweetened coconut (2 1/2 cups) and sugar.
• Add the powdered milk to this mixture. Mix well, so that there are no lumps.
• Allow two hours to cool. (To speed up this process, I pop this in the refrigerator).
• Around each toasted hazelnut, put a little of the cooled mixture, forming them into balls, so that the hazelnut is in the center.
• Roll each ball in the remaining coconut.
• Recipe makes 60 - 100 balls, depending on the size.