Chocolate balls are one of the most beloved pastries in Sweden and usually one of the first recipes kids learn. They’re easy to make and no bake making it’s safe even for young children. I loved them so much and made them so often as a child that the page with the recipe in my copy of seven kinds of cookies, a must have fika cook book for all Swedes, are covered with chocolate ball dough. I love them equally much as an adult and making chocolate balls is a very hygge activity that my daughter and I have enjoyed since she was a toddler. Sometimes, when we want something extra fancy, we take the dough and turn it into a no bake Swedish chocolate ball cake. It’s a guaranteed smash hit on kids birthday parties or the workplace fika time.
The ingredients
The ingredients in a Swedish chocolate ball cake few but quality is important, especially that of the cocoa. The better the cocoa, the more chocolate your cake will taste like. The recipe calls for Swedish pearl sugar. It’s harder than the more common Dutch pearl sugar but if you can’t find it (check your local Ikea) regular will do. There’s also versions of chocolate balls where shredded coconut or sprinkles are used and that’s totally fine. For extra special occasions my family tends to use rainbow sprinkles as nothing is better than rainbows and sprinkles combined, at least according to my four year old. The only thing that might beat it is rainbow marshmallows.
But back to the ingredients. Apart from cocoa and pearl sugar you’ll need rolled oats, sugar, butter, vanilla sugar or extract and cold coffee. It’s important to use cold coffee or otherwise the butter will melt. And when it comes to butter, make sure you use the real deal. Margarine just doesn’t taste as good!
The method
The process of making a Swedish cholate ball cake is easy. You simply put everything except the pearl sugar in a bowl and mash it with your hands. When you’ve got a uniform batter you put some dough aside to use for chocolate balls to decorate the cake with and put the rest in a cake ring to shape a cake. Put it in the fridge for 30 minutes to set and then cover it with pearl sugar, shredded coconut or sprinkles. Last but not least shape the set aside dough into balls, cover them with pearl sugar and use them to decorate your cake. Keep the cake covered in the fridge until 30 minutes before serving. It also freezes well.
Swedish chocolate ball cake
A Swedish chocolate ball cake truly is a great addition to any fika time or party. Enjoy it with a glass of cold milk or a cup of coffee. The recipe I use is an authentic recipe that my family have used for a long time, I’ve just tweaked it a little to fit our preferences. And if you don’t like the taste of coffee, feel free to substitute it for whipping cream. Or whiskey, rum or something else the goes well with chocolate. Baileys is a favorite substitute of mine.
Swedish chocolate ball cake
Course: Baking, Fika4
servings30
minutes40
minutes300
kcalIngredients
300 grams of butter
250 grams of sugar
315 grams of rolled oats
90 grams of cold coffee
40 grams of cocoa powder
15 grams of vanilla sugar
Pearl sugar, shredded coconut or sprinkles
Directions
- Put all ingrediens except from pearl sugar in a bowl or a mixer. Use your hands or the mixer to combine it to a smooth dough.
- Put some dough aside for decorations. Put the rest in a cake ring to shape a cake.
- Chill in fridge for 30 minutes then cover with pearl sugar, shredded coconut or sprinkles.
- Shape the remaining dough into balls, cover with pearl sugar and use to decorate.
