Rum Balls (Austrian Rumkugeln)

These Austrian Rumballs, or in German, "Rumkugeln" are almost mandatory for Christmas but, in our opinion, they taste awesome throughout the year. The rum balls are made after a traditional Austrian recipe from the ancient times, when Franz Josef I. used to be the Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary, King of Bohemia and monarch of many other states of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, from December 2, 1848 until his death.

Dark Dough:
confectioners' sugar (100 g)
almonds, ground (100 g)
semi-sweet baking chocolate, grated (100 g)
1 egg white
1-2 Tbsp. dark rum, brandy or pure baking rum flavour
cocoa, unsweetened

Light Dough:
1 egg yolk, hard-boiled
butter (30 g)
1 vanilla bean or pure vanilla extract
1 Tbsp. confectioners' sugar

For the dark dough mix all ingredients thoroughly.

For the light dough press the egg yolk through a sieve and mix it with the remaining ingredients; set aside and keep it cold.

Make balls out of the dark dough of walnut size; the light dough is quite small and should have the size of a cherry pit.

Place in each dark ball one light one: Take the ball slightly apart and fill in the smaller one, then close it.

Place them into little paper cups.

Keep rum balls at least for 30 minutes in the fridge.

Roll the balls in the cocoa powder and place them again into the paper cups.

Keep the rum balls in a tin at a cool place.

Makes 30 pieces.