It’s February and Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. These pretty little rum balls are so easy to make and very effectively communicate “I love you” in the universal language of chocolate. These are wonderful served with cognac or hot coffee after a special dinner.

Rum Balls

15 lady finger bisquits

1/2 cup unsalted butter

5 squares semi-sweet bakers chocolate (or 150 g of dark chocolate), broken into pieces

2 tablespoons rum

1 egg yolk

1/2 cup icing sugar

1 cup ground hazelnuts or almonds

cocoa powder

Pulse the lady fingers in a food processor until they resemble fine breadcrumbs. (You can also hand grind these in a large mortar and pestle.) Melt the butter in a small saucepan, then stir in the chocolate pieces and remove from heat. Stir in the egg yolk, rum, icing sugar, ground nuts and ground biscuits. Mix well. Mixture should be firm, so add more ground biscuits or nuts if the mixture is too wet. Cover and refrigerate until firm. Roll the mixture into balls to fit into small petit fours cases. Chill once more and then roll in sifted cocoa powder to coat. Stored in a covered container in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Yield: 30 rum balls