Chokladbollar

{ Dedicated to Laurie, Rollie and Jen }

A friend of mine gifted me with a Swedish cookbook.  She said it is in almost every home in Sweden.  In that there are around 9 million people in Sweden, and the book advertises that there have been over 3.4 million copies sold, she may be right. 

 

I bring this up because I want to share a recipe with you.  The recipe is for chokladbollar, or  "chocolate balls".  They are delicious and they are everywhere.  Everywhere.  One can buy them in large boxes of ~ 25 at the grocery stores, or you can buy one individually wrapped at the checkout of another.  I have seen them for sale on the ferry boat next to individually sold shots of ... some sort of alcohol. 

 

 

 

I have had them at parties, have bought them at church for Fika, and had one while taking a break at the second hand store.  They are so common that I even saw some pretend, stuffed chokladbollar at the Dunkers art museum in Helsingborg.

 

 

And why are they everywhere?  Because they are terrific.  They are creamy chocolate with a hint of coffee and some flaked coconut thrown in for taste and aesthetics.  I have not made them yet.  Why would I?  As  I said, I can get them almost anywhere.  But, chances are my American friend, you cannot.  And so, I am going to let you in on the simple recipe for this knockout confection.

 

Chocolate Balls (approx. 30)

100 g. (7 Tablespoons) butter or margarine, softened

1 dl (1/2 c) sugar *

1 Tablespoon vanilla sugar or 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

2-3 Tablespoons sifted cocoa

3 dl (1 ½ cups) rolled oats

2-3 Tablespoons of cold strong coffee

Garnish: pearl sugar or flaked coconut

 

Beat the butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy.  Stir in the remaining ingredients. Form into small round balls.  Roll in pearl sugar or coconut.  Refrigerate until serving time.  Refrigerate leftovers. 

*I do not know why the authors have equated 1 deciliter (which =’s 100ml’s, to a ½ cup which is 120 ml’s).  1 dl. actually equals ~ 2/5th of  a cup.