Rum and Raisin Recipes

Following on from Coby's alliteration I have one myself and all thanks to Christmas!

2 very simple, very quick and rich "nibbles".

As if we don't already eat enough over the Christmas/New Year break either one of these will send your blood sugar over the edge. So please just have one piece of each don't gorge yourself, use restraint.

But oh so tasty!

The first are rum and raisin balls. Requested by my niece as part of the dessert table at our Christmas lunch. These are quick and simple and I added coconut (well the recipe said to).

I am also generous with the rum, not too generous but you know there is rum in them.

This recipe is courtesy of Taste. It really is a terrific go to website. I always weigh ingredients but the link actually has cup measurements too if you prefer. I don't.

The recipe made 50 for me and I actually made double that 100 of these wonderful rum balls. Wasn't just for my niece but for a couple of gifts and a "what do I take to a Christmas Eve gathering" solution.

Took no more than 15 minutes, assuming you have a chocolate cake made, to make but I would suggest to wear gloves as it makes the rolling so much easier.

I made my own chocolate cake because I could so that added another hour but it really isn't a hard job to do.

Rum and Raisin Balls

50g chopped raisins
60ml dark rum
65g desiccated coconut
300g chocolate cake crumbs
60ml sweetened condensed milk
Chocolate sprinkles, to coat

Place the raisins and 20 mls of the rum into a small pan and over low heat allow to simmer. Turn the heat off and let sit for at least 5 minutes.


In a bowl, place the remaining rum, coconut, cake crumbs, and sweetened condensed milk. Then add the raisin and rum mixture.

Using your hands (hence the gloves suggestion) smoosh it all together. Smooshing is a technical term I like to use!

Take teaspoonfuls of the smooshed mixture and roll into the chocolate sprinkles and place on a tray. Once all complete, place into the fridge and allow to set.

Out of neccesity, well not really, I had some left over sweetened condensed milk and I had remembered that both my niece and sister had raved about a rum and raisin fudge they had tasted. So I called them and got the recipe.

Not the best penmanship but when you are balancing a phone and trying to cook at the same time it isn't easy. It is a mixture of cup measurements and weight, I can cope, just.

I didn't have enough for one lot so I ended up making 1.5 times the recipe, just because. This makes a lot regardless and I would recommend a bigger tin than I used so that it is thinner but it is so smooth and delicious.

Soak the raisins in the rum and leave for 1 hour.

Add all the other ingredients in a pan and over low heat melt them together.

Then add the rum and raisin mixture to it and mix.

Pour into a tray (I used a disposable tray which I greased and added baking paper)

Place into the fridge and allow to set for at least 4 hours but overnight is better. Using a sharp knife cut into bite size pieces. Makes a lot!