Happy Diwali Everybody!!! Diwali is the the festival of lights is the celebration of light over darkness, good over evil and hope over despair and like every good celebration and festival there’s plenty of delicious food to eat and share.  As you can tell from most recipes on this blog I have a very sweet tooth, I love cakes, chocolate, anything gooey and sweet, except Indian sweets !  I think it’s because I find them too sweet, however one Indian sweet I love and always reminds me of my childhood is chocolate covered Barfi.  Usually made with ghee and milk powder this can be very rich and heavy that I can only usually manage a small bite (or two!) , so here’s my take on the traditional Barfi , chocolate and coconut truffles or Barfi balls!  Super healthy, with the addition of honey and only a small amount of condensed milk these little beauties are surprisingly easy to make, and with a dark chocolate shell are so moreish you’ll be snacking on them all day.  Lets hope you guys are better at decorating them than I am!

Ingredients : Makes about 12 Barfi Balls

• 100g Dessicated / shredded coconut.
• 25g runny honey
• 80ml condensed milk
• 1/4 tsp ground cardamom.
• Good quality dark chocolate >70% cocoa
• Chopped pistachio for decoration or if like me you want to relive the Diwali of your childhood then decorate with gold or silver leaf .

Method:

1. In a bowl mix the coconut, honey, condensed milk and the ground cardamom together and roll into small bite size balls.  Leave to harden a little in the fridge , this only needs about 20 – 30 minutes.

2. Melt 3/4 of the dark chocolate in bowl over simmering hot water, once completely melted take the bowl off the saucepan and add the remaining 1/4 and stir until completely melted.  Make sure you dont get any water or steam into the melted chocolate, this will ensure you get a lovely shiny chocolate once cooled.

3. Add the coconut balls to the bowl of chocolate and coat evenly,  pop them in the fridge for approx 15 minutes or until the chocolate has set.

4. Once set then decorate as you wish, I’m sure you’ll do a better job than I have!  Just make sure you leave some for your family and friends!