This treat is a staple of many home cooks in Ghana, each adding their own twist and varying the recipe to suit their personal preferences. Sweet caramel with a hint of lemon juice, fresh coconut, and water are all that it takes to make these simple and flavorful fruity balls. Other spices can be added, but this is the basic mixture many Ghanian families enjoy with a cup of tea.
If you’re a seasoned cook and can handle the temperature of steamy caramel with your bare hands, use them to shape the balls. Alternatively use tools, such as spoons or an ice cream scooper for shaping.
Buy pre-shelled coconut pieces as opposed to a whole coconut. Cracking a coconut can prove to be quite a daunting task. As with any candy-making recipe, keep pets and kids out of the kitchen, use an apron and gloves to protect yourself, and always wear shoes to avoid slipping while handling hot caramel.
Ghanaian Caramel Coconut Balls
Print RecipeIngredients
- 1 medium coconut (flesh grated)
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 lemon (juiced)
- 1 teaspoon butter (or margarine)
Instructions
- Gather the ingredients.
- Stick a screwdriver into the eyes of the coconut to make holes in one or two of the eyes and drain the water. Use a kitchen towel to hold on to the coconut to stop it from slipping. Crack it open by levering your weight with the screwdriver into one of the holes you used to drain the coconut water. Scrape the meat by separating it from the shell with a short sharp knife.
- Grate the coconut flesh using the large teeth of your grater, although the size does not entirely matter. Watch out for your finger as the oils in the coconut make your hands slippery and scraping your knuckles is very easy.
- Make the caramel by dissolving the sugar in the water and lemon juice. Stir until most of it is dissolved on a low heat prior to bringing it to a boil.
- Allow the caramel to boil from 5 to 10 minutes without stirring. This prevents granules from forming and allows the sugar syrup to form a lovely brown-colored caramel. Keep an eye on the mixture, as caramel goes from brown to burn in the blink of an eye.
- Once the caramel is a slightly deep shade of brown, add the shredded coconut and cook for 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally. You will find that the coconut oils and natural moisture will be released and the mixture will become easy to handle.
- Once the caramel exudes a wonderful coconut aroma, remove from the heat and allow it to cool slightly.
- Grease a plate with the butter or margarine and use it to place the shaped balls of coconut.
- Handle the caramel with care and make balls with your hands, two spoons or a small fruit scooper. Place on the greased plate.
- Allow the balls to cool down until warm prior to serving.
- If when serving the balls they have cooled completely and seem too hard to eat, microwave them in 10 seconds intervals until they’re softer to the touch. Careful with the inner temperature as sugar heats up fast.
- Enjoy!