Chocolate glazed coconut balls

Chocolate glazed coconut balls are ‘fun for all’ type of dessert. Easy to prepare and simply irresistible. This dessert takes the Indian traditional dish, “Coconut Laddoo” to a new level. Everything is fun with a little chocolate 🙂

Coconut seems a very interesting fruit to me. All its aspects – the colour, the taste and texture oozes sophistication and it offers a delightful, delicate flavour it gets added to. Now one can just imagine how a dessert made entirely of coconut would taste like … Heavenly ! What else 🙂

I was not a big fan of coconut till i shifted to Montreal. Coconut is usually consumed in southern regions of India. Many south Indian dishes are prepared using coconut oil and fresh shredded coconut used in curries, stews and dips (chutney). Popular south Indian breakfast includes idlis (steamed rice batter dumplings)/ dosa (rice batter pancake) with sambhar (spicy mustard seed tempered lentil dahl) and coconut chutney. I usually make a garlic coconut chutney (recipe here) which goes well with just about any Indian meal.

Some other coconut recipes i have tried and love are as follows:

In India, tender green coconut water is also consumed in large quantities during summers for its cooling properties. One of my favourite memories with coconut water is the tender coconut flesh (white soft layer inside the green coconut) which i absolutely love. Coconut is considered very auspicious in Indian culture and is used for preparing sweets like coconut laddoo for prayers and rituals as well.

In India though, the only forms of coconut i really was aware of or came across in retail stores were : coconut oil, fresh coconut and dried dessicated coconut. It was only when i moved to Montreal did i discover the vast varieties available here. Coconut milk was something new to me and i became its fan instantly. Coconut milk comes in really handy when u want the coconut taste without the coconut bits. Over the past year i have tried various recipes with coconut milk and i must admit i had almost got addicted to it once 😛

Some of the coconut milk recipes you can find in DSB’s recipe box includes :

This recipe is not an Indian origin but pretty much inspired by it. It came out of an experimentation that i did after preparing some coconut laddoos. I was looking for an Indian sweet to teach during my last cooking workshop (Hot India) and wanted to create something interesting within a few minutes. Now, usually Indian sweets take a lot of time in preparation but Coconut laddoos is really quick to make, hence they were perfect !

As i completed rolling the last laddoo, suddenly a brain wave happened and i thought of chocolate.. the result was so good, i had to share this recipe !

Chocolate glazed Coconut Balls

Chocolate glazed coconut balls

Servings: 20 balls
Time: 30 mins
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Recipe

300 gms unsweetened dessicated coconut
250 ml condensed milk
1 tsp corn starch
1 tsp butter
50 gms semi sweet dark chocolate
1/4 cup toffee bits / chopped almonds

Method

Take a dry, non stick pan. To it, add butter and melt it on medium high flame.
Once the butter melts, add the dessicated coconut and let it roast till the coconut starts turning a bit brownish.
Now, add in the condensed milk and combine with the shredded coconut.
Cook on medium flame for about 2 minutes, stirring continuously. You will notice that the condensed milk will start evaporating and the mixture will form into a dough like consistency. Shut the flame and remove from pan. Keep aside and let it cool down a bit.
Once the mixture cools down to room temperature, form equal sized balls out of the mixture. Keep aside.
Now, using the double boiler method, melt the chocolate chips.
Dip each ball in the melted chocolate and using a fork, lift it carefully so that the coconut ball is covered in melted chocolate completely.
Remove from chocolate bowl and arrange on a tray. Sprinkle toffee bits at this moment itself (before the chocolate gets firm again). Repeat with all the coconut balls. Once all the balls are done, place the tray with chocolate glazed coconut balls in the fridge for an hour till the chocolate firms. Chocolate glazed coconut balls are ready. Store in the fridge for upto 2 weeks.

These look so sumptuous ! This dessert is the perfect bite sized treat. This tasted great – light sweetness from the condensed milk, nutty crunchy taste from the toasted coconut and offcourse the velvety, sinful taste from the chocolate. Toffee bits garnishing added to a caramel crunchy flavour complimenting the coconut choco taste.

I think i would just say, If u are in mood for Indian fusion sweet – make this one ! and if u like chocolates with soft mushy center… make this one !! It is simply awesome !