Chocolate-Covered Marzipan Rum Balls

I had made these sweets for a friend’s party a few days before and I hadn’t blogged about them yet.  Perfect!  They are marzipan balls filled with rum soaked raisins and topped with melted dark chocolate.  They are traditional Sicilian sweets and I love the chocolate topping and the liqueur soaked raisins hidden inside.  Before starting to prepare these sweets I want to THANK Sandra for giving me the opportunity to be a guest over at her beautiful site and for being such a supportive and lovely fellow foodie! Thank You Sandra… you know how much I appreciate your delicious recipes and your mouthwatering pictures! 

Adapted from Maria Grammatico’s recipe of Dolcetti al liquore – from the book “Bitter Almonds: Recollections and Recipes of a Sicilian Girlhood” by Mary Taylor Simeti

Ingredients (makes 25):

 500 gms (2c) almond meal

 500 gms (2c) icing sugar

 1/2 glass of water to add little by little (you may need less)

 A few drops of almond essence or bitter almond essence (optional)

 1 cup of rum

 60 gms ( 1/4 c) raisins

 150 gms (6 oz) dark chocolate

Put the raisins in warm water for a few minutes.  When soft remove them from the water and pat them dry.  Put them in a glass jar and cover them with the rum.  Let them soak for 24 hours.

The following day, put the almond meal and icing sugar in a big bowl.  Mix them well and add the almond essence (optional) and the water slowly while kneading with your hands.

When you get a smooth and pliable dough, your marzipan is ready.

Roll the marzipan into a 1 cm ( 1/2 ") thick sheet.  You can do this on baking paper to prevent it from sticking to the benchtop.

Cut some circles with a diameter of approximately 4 cm (1.5").

Put 3 raisins on half of the circles and cover them with the remaining circles.

Press the sides well to make sure they do not come apart and then roll them with your hands into roundish shapes.  Keep aside.

In the meantime, melt the dark chocolate and dip the top part of the marzipan sweets in it.

Let the chocolate dry.

They are now ready to serve!

Recipe Source: http://www.manusmenu.com/chocolate-covered-marzipan-rum-balls