Cherry Ripe Balls
Perfectly delicious no-bake Cherry Ripe Balls made from condensed milk, coconut, glace cherries and chocolate! These are the easiest little bites ever.
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Servings: 35 balls
Calories: 288kcal
Equipment
- Microwave or Thermomix
Ingredients
- 200 g glace cherries
- 360 g (4 cups) desiccated coconut
- 395 g sweetened condensed milk
- 4-5 drops pink food colouring
- 250 g dark chocolate
- 2 tbs coconut oil optional - see notes
- 55 g Cherry Ripe bar optional for decoration, cut into small chunks
Instructions
Conventional Method
- Finely chop the glace cherries into small chunks (or puree in a food processor).
- Place the chopped cherries into a large bowl.
- Add the desiccated coconut and sweetened condensed milk and mix until well combined and sticky.
- Add the pink food colouring and mix until evenly distributed.
- Roll mixture into heaped teaspoon-sized balls and place onto a baking tray.
- Place the tray into the freezer for 30 minutes to firm up.
- Place chocolate melts and coconut oil into the microwave.
- Cook on 50% power in 30 second bursts until just melted (stirring each time with a dry metal spoon).
- Using two forks, dip each of the coconut balls into the melted chocolate mixture, allowing any excess to drip off.
- Place back onto the baking tray and top with a small Cherry Ripe square.
- Repeat with remaining balls.
- Keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Thermomix Method
- Place the glace cherries into the TM bowl and puree on Speed 8 for 10 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add the coconut and condensed milk and mix on Reverse, Speed 4 until completely combined.
- Add the pink food colouring and mix on Reverse, Speed 4 until the colour is evenly distributed.
- Roll mixture into heaped teaspoon-sized balls and place onto a baking tray. Place the tray into the freezer for 30 minutes to firm up.
- Place chocolate and coconut oil into the TM bowl. Melt on Speed 2, 50 degrees for 4 minutes (scraping down the sides of the bowl partway through). Pour the melted chocolate into a small bowl.
- Using two forks, dip each of the balls into the melted chocolate mixture, allowing any excess to drip off.
- Place back onto the baking tray and top with a small Cherry Ripe square.
- Repeat with remaining balls.
- Keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Video
Notes
RECIPE NOTES
Chilling - It's important to chill the balls in the freezer for 30 minutes before dipping in melted chocolate. This allows the balls to firm up and keep their shape when coated in chocolate.
Glace cherries - Glace cherries are maraschino cherries that have had the stones removed and have been candied in sugar syrup. They are very sweet and sticky! You can buy glace cherries in packets in the dried fruit and nuts section of any supermarket.
Chopping the cherries - A food processor or Thermomix will chop/puree the cherries without getting your fingers sticky (the best option!). Alternatively, if you choose to use a knife, place the glace cherries on a flat board and cut into small chunks using a sharp serrated knife.
Food colouring - I like to add food colouring to the Cherry Ripe Balls as it gives them a beautiful vibrant colour. Without the food colouring, the filling in the balls will be white with a touch of red/brown from the chopped glace cherries (still just as delicious but not as appealing to look at!).
Cherry Ripe bars - I like to decorate the top of my Cherry Ripe Balls with a small chunk of chopped up Cherry Ripe bar. Cherry Ripe is a brand of chocolate bar manufactured by Cadbury in Australia. They are long skinny bars of cherries and coconut coated with dark chocolate. If you can't buy Cherry Ripe bars, simply make the balls as per the recipe, dip them in chocolate and skip the final optional decorating step.
Christmas gifts - These make the perfect Christmas foodie gift for family and friends. They can be made ahead of time and given as part of a Christmas hamper.
Storing the balls - These balls can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
Alternative - These balls can be made without the cherries and they'll taste just like Bounty bars! Check out my Bounty Balls recipe here.
Nutrition
Calories: 288kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 23mg | Potassium: 209mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 30IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 1.9mg