I love Christmas. I love getting together with the people I love, catching up, laughing and putting details into the home, luxuries that I normally don't have time for; the perfect table layout, decorating the tree, wrapping presents and those oh so delicious foods. YUM!

With so much stress and so much time spent around those Christmas extras, it's sometimes nice to have some easy and quick go-to's that bring a little joy, without the cost of spending 12 hours in the kitchen.

Topped with coconut for that cool and no melt finish these truffles are not only breezy to make they are simply irresistible to the taste!

Substitutions:

I always approach recipes with flexibility. Not only does a little swapping and changing mean you can create something to your exact tastes, but you also create something unique.

For this recipe, you can use any type of coconut. When it comes to shredded coconut I like the soft ones, rather than the hard ones. You can also use flaked coconut if the flakes are nice and small and desiccated coconut for a smoother blend.

Melt the chocolate carefully.

Chocolate is sensitive to heat. If using the microwave, be careful not to rush it and heat it on full power in the microwave for a long time. Check your chocolate every 10-20 seconds and stir to get the heat evenly through as you go.

Go Adult.

Want a little more jolly in your lolly? Simply substitute 1 or 2 tablespoons of cream with an alcohol of your choice. Something coco-nutty like this might pair well with Malibu coconut rum. Please be sure to let people know they have alcohol as it may affect their driving ability, breastfeeding or medication.

For 18+ joy balls, you can opt to add in alcohol. Just be sure to let everyone know they are for adults only.

If you are planning to bring a plate to share to a gathering and you don't want to show up with something store-bought, this is your golden ticket item.

Okay, let's get rolling on some Christmas joy balls!

White Christmas truffles

You can make about 20 truffles from this recipe.

Ingredients

200g white chocolate (coarsely chopped)
¼ cup (60 ml) whipping cream (also called heavy cream)
¼ cup shredded coconut
1/3 cup extra shredded coconut to coat
½ teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

Pro tips: You can make a creamier texture by adding 1-2 tablespoons of butter

Directions:
1. Place chopped chocolate and cream (and optional butter) in a medium heat-proof bowl and set it over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir occasionally. Remove from heat once melted.

For best heating results, use a double boiler or place a large bowl over a pot of simmering water. The bowl should not touch the water, simply let the rising heat do its gentle work.

You can also microwave, just be sure to do this slowly. Go for 20-seconds at a time, stirring in between each interval. It may feel slow but it's better not to stress the chocolate out.

2. Stir in the ¼ cup of shredded coconut. This is also the time to add the vanilla extract if you are using it.

Cover the bowl and place it in the fridge to chill for four hours or so, until firm enough to hold shape.

Place the final 1/3 cup shredded coconut into a small bowl. Remove the chocolate mix from the fridge. Using a spoon or melon baller, scoop out a small amount and roll into balls using your hands.

Dip each ball into the coconut and roll to cover. Place on a plate or baking tray that's lined with baking paper and refrigerate until firm.

Serve chilled.

Only three ingredients and five minutes of prep time. You just have to be organised enough to do them in advanced so they can go in the fridge to set.

You can keep these in the fridge for up to one week in an airtight container in the fridge or up to a month in the freezer. If frozen allow thawing in the fridge overnight.

So you can guess what I'll be sharing with my amazing team this week!