Strawberry gum balls

Aunty Beryl Van-Oploo says she came up with this idea after thinking about rum balls but instead making them with white chocolate and strawberry gum. The ground leaf powder brings fresh berry notes to cooking.

Strawberry gum balls. Credit: Murdoch Books / Cath Muscat

• makes

  16-20

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  5 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 250 g white chocolate, broken into pieces
• 250 g punnet strawberries, hulled and cut into small pieces
• 2 tsp strawberry gum powder
• 350 g desiccated coconut

Chilling time: 30 minutes. Setting time: at least 2 days.

Instructions

1. Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water and stir until melted. Remove from the heat.
2. Drain any excess moisture from the chopped strawberry, then toss with the strawberry gum in a bowl. Add the melted chocolate and mix until combined. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to cool without letting it get too firm.
3. Line a tray with baking paper.
4. Place 100 g coconut in a bowl. Remove the strawberry mixture from the fridge. Place a little remaining coconut in your hand, then roll a spoonful of the mixture into a ball, incorporating the coconut on your hand. Roll the ball in the bowl of coconut until coated. Place onto the prepared tray. Repeat with the remaining mixture and coconut, then place the tray in the fridge for at least 2 days to set.

Tip

Store in the fridge for at least 2 weeks.

This is an edited extract from Aunty Beryl’s Cookbook by Beryl Van-Oploo, photography by Cath Muscat (Murdoch Books RRP $49.99).

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.