Photo by: Charmaine Tokic
If you know me, you know I absolutely love cooking, especially when it’s for the people I love most. There’s something so special about being able to make someone’s day just that little bit better with a homemade treat. And when it comes to my husband, I know there’s one sweet that’s guaranteed to put a huge smile on his face: Ferrero Raffaello.
A few weeks ago, we packed up the car and headed two hours out of Sydney to visit my parents at their property in Bathurst. It’s my dad’s happy place – breathtaking views, peaceful, and the kind of space where you can really disconnect, breathe, and reset. As much as I love the downtime, I’m someone who gets a little antsy when things slow down too much! So, I decided to take my Thermomix along for the trip, knowing I’d have the chance to do the kind of creative cooking I don’t always get to do at home.
Photos by: Charmaine Tokic
On the car ride there, my husband casually mentioned how his mum used to make these amazing Raffaello balls when he was younger. His eyes lit up just talking about them. So me being me I thought, why not make his day and whip some up. Plus, my dad has a bit of a sweet tooth after dinner, so it was the perfect excuse to get a little inventive in the kitchen.
I don’t often get the chance to make desserts from scratch (dinner usually takes priority), but this felt like a special moment. There we were, surrounded by nature, no distractions, and I had my Thermomix right there ready to go. While these little balls aren’t exactly waistline-friendly, they are so worth it for a cheeky treat.
Rolling them up took me straight back to my own childhood. My mum used to make sweet little balls like these all the time. I felt like one of the “cool kids” when I’d open my lunchbox at school and find one waiting for me. I love how food has that way of connecting memories across generations – my mum’s sweets, my husband’s mum’s Raffaello balls… and now here I am making them for my family. Whether you’re making these for someone you love or just for yourself (no judgement!), I promise they’ll hit the spot. You’ll find my recipe below – with both the Thermomix and conventional methods. Enjoy!
Raffaello Balls
Ingredients
- 150 g Scotch Fingers or any plain biscuit
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
- 95 g milk powder
- 40 g softened butter
- 150 g desiccated coconut plus extra for coating
- blanched almonds
Instructions
Conventional Method
- Place the Scotch Fingers in a food processor and blitz until they resemble fine crumbs. Alternatively, place them in a ziplock bag and crush with a rolling pin. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the softened butter, sweetened condensed milk and milk powder. Stir well until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Add the biscuit crumbs and 150g of desiccated coconut to the bowl. Mix thoroughly with a spoon or your hands until the mixture comes together and is firm enough to roll.
- Take about 1 teaspoon of the mixture, place a blanched almond in the middle and roll into a ball between your palms. Repeat this step until all the mixture is used.
- Roll each ball in the extra desiccated coconut to coat.
- Place the balls on a lined tray and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until firm.
Thermomix Method
- Add scotch fingers to bowl and crush 5 sec/speed 6. Remove from bowl and set aside.
- Add sweetened condensed milk, milk powder and butter 20 sec/speed 4. Ensure all ingredients are well combined.
- Add coconut and biscuit crumbs to bowl and mix 10 sec/speed 3. Ensure all ingredients are well combined.
- Take 1 teaspoon of mixture, place almond in the middle and roll into a ball between the palms of your hands.
- Roll each ball in the extra desiccated coconut to coat.
- Place the balls on a lined tray and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until firm.