Boil together gently over medium heat for 5-6 minutes or until mixture reaches about 225 -230 degrees F on a candy thermometer. (The 5 to 6 minutes cooking time is usually quite accurate for me but don't start timing it until the mixture is fully at a rolling boil and don't stir the mixture while it boils.) For the record, my latest batch took exactly 6 minutes at a rolling boil and it was perfect.

The cake I remember most from my childhood has to be traditional Scottish snowballs. These dense coconut covered cakes with jam oozing from the centre were our Saturday morning treat when my Mum and I went to the local bakery. Meanwhile, pulse the remaining coconut in a food processor to break it down. It’s easier to coat the balls when the coconut shreds are broken up/smaller. I have made these with regular sized marshmallows and with mini-marshmallows and I have to say, the regular marshmallows work much better here. The mini-marshmallows made for a smaller, cuter, truffle-sized snowball but there wasn’t enough marshmallow for me. We already have the raising-agents in the self-raising flour but we add just a smidgen more with some baking powder, just to give the buns a little more lift. Place the oats and 1 cup of shredded coconut in a large bowl. Set aside. (Reserve the remaining coconut for step 3.)

In this recipe, milk is needed to add a little more moisture to the snowball buns. It’s personal preference as to what kind of milk you use – dairy, soya and coconut are all great options. First, you want to make the dough for the snowball cakes by sifting your flour, sugar and salt into a bowl. This gets rid of any bits and pieces that shouldn’t be there in the first place and airiates the flour too. Scottish snowballs are the perfect sweet treat, from their coating of pristine white coconut to their oozing strawberry jam in the centre. These snowball cakes are just perfect with a cup of tea and kids adore them too. Plus they are super easy to make. The inspiration for these snowball cakes Makes about 4 dozen. These should ALWAYS be stored in the fridge to maintain the soft yet slightly chewy texture. They tend to be too soft at room temperature. I’ve used raspberry jam as a filling here as it’s my fave. You could use whatever jam you like as a filling.

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. And make sure there is enough room in your refrigerator for the baking sheets.Add the boiled mixture to the dry ingredients until well combined and chill well in the fridge, until mixture is able to be shaped into 1 1/2 inch balls. The mixture will be quite soft and sloppy while it is still hot. It will not firm up until it is very well chilled. lt;p>Sugar,&nbsp;<strong>Milk</strong>, Cocoa Butter, Cocoa Mass, Skimmed&nbsp;<strong>Milk</strong>&nbsp;Powder, Whey Permeate Powder (from&nbsp;<strong>Milk</strong>), Vegetable Fats (Palm, Shea),&nbsp;<strong>Milk</strong>&nbsp;Fat, Modified Starches (Tapioca, Maize), Emulsifiers (E442, E476), Flavourings, Maltodextrin, Milk Chocolate: Milk Solids 14 % minimum, Cocoa Solids 25 % minimum, Contains Vegetable Fats in addition to Cocoa Butter</p> In updating this recipe I prepared a batch and let it cool down to almost room temperature before covering the bowl and refrigerating overnight. The next day, as can be seen in one of the photos above, the mixture was very easy to scoop and roll into balls. Once you’ve made your coconut snowball cakes they will keep for a few days in a sealed container, but I bet they won’t last that long….. Can you freeze Scottish snowballs? Leave them to set completely for about half an hour before eating or you’ll get covered in coconut and icing How long do Scottish snowballs keep?

If you want your snowballs to be a uniform size, you can weigh all your dough before rolling into balls; divide the total number by 20, then weigh out each ball to this individual weight. The main flavours in our snowballs come from the jam and coconut coating but we still want some sweetness in the bun to compliment these flavours. Caster sugar is ideal but in a pinch some granulated sugar could work too but may give your buns a slightly grainier texture. Granny spent a lot of time experimenting to get the perfect egg ratio for Snowballs. In the end, she found one whole egg and one extra egg yolk to be just right. Don’t just bin that excess egg white though – save it make some homemade meringues.

It’s a simple water icing that is used to coat your snowballs in preparation for their coconut finish. And because we are making an icing, icing sugar (also known as confectioners sugar or powdered sugar) is a must. Either will do and it’s personal preference to which you choose. I opt for margarine as a way to omit the dairy but whatever you choose, have it at room temperature before baking. This Scottish snowball recipe couldn’t be easier really. But I must warn you folks, this gets messy! Enlist help. Why not invite family and friends over to help you actually make the desserts that will go on the tray?! Not only will it be more fun if baking’s a family affair, it’s a lot easier too. Extra hands = faster baking. You can even make “Christmas cookie baking day” an annual event, or host a cookie decorating day.