Raw Rum Balls

200g of favourite cookies, mashed (I used cocoa and cinnamon flavour)
120g of icing sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons of good quality cocoa powder, sifted
1 package of vanilla sugar
50g of ground walnuts
120g of butter, soft
A splash of good quality dark rum
1 jar of pickled cherries or sultanas, soaked in water

Cocoa powder, ground walnuts and coconut flakes to decorate

Prepare the dough few hours ahead. In a large mixing bowl place the cookies, sugars and cocoa powder. Add walnuts and mix gently with a spatula.

Then, butter and rum/hot water in. Knead the dough with hands until it all becomes one homogeneous piece.

Wrap the dough in a cling foil and set in the fridge overnight.

Next day, bring the dough to a room temperature.

Break a piece of dough, create a small bowl and flatten it with your palm.

Place one piece of the cherry/sultana in the middle and nicely wrap it into a small ball, once again.

Note that soaked fruit (In my case cherries) is juicer. Therefore, I made bigger balls with cherries and smaller ones with the sultanas. This way you can also make a clear distinction, which ones are without the alcohol.

For decorating, wrap The Raw Rum Balls in cocoa powder, ground walnuts or coconut flakes. Place each ball in a paper basket and store them in a cold place.

Makes 25 pieces.