Godiva Chocolate Rum Balls

Godiva Chocolatier traces its roots to 1926, when Pierre Draps started making chocolates in Brussels, Belgium, for sale to local shops. His son Joseph began working for the family business at the age of 14 and shortly after World War II took control of it. When he decided to open a shop of his own, he sought a distinctive name to give it and turned to his wife for ideas. She suggested Godiva, after the legendary countess who had protested high taxes by riding nude through Coventry, England, and Draps chose it for the new endeavor.
Godiva's signature offering was a creamy ganache, or hazelnut praline filling, that was inserted into a molded shell of high quality chocolate. Over the years, Draps built up a repertoire of distinctive products, many of which had been introduced to commemorate specific events. His best-known creation was the Comtesse, which celebrated Lady Godiva herself and was made from dark or milk chocolate with a chocolate cream center. Another was the Autant, a hand-decorated chocolate leaf made from coffee and chocolate creams covered in milk chocolate, which had been made to commemorate the 1939 premiere of the film Gone With the Wind. Other popular offerings included the Fabiola, introduced in 1958 to celebrate the engagement of Queen Fabiola to King Baudouin I of Belgium, and the Golf Ball, which honored Draps golf-playing friendship with Belgium's King Leopold III. Godiva would later be named the official purveyor of chocolate to the Belgian Royal Court.

Godiva Chocolate Rum Balls

1 lb. fruitcake, sliced and cut into 2-inch pieces
2 cups (8 ounces) walnut pieces
3 cups confectioners' sugar, divided
2 bars (1.5 ounces each) Godiva Dark Chocolate, chopped
1 /4 cup rum

Place fruitcake and nuts in bowl of food processor fitted with metal chopping blade. Cover and pulse until mixture is very finely chopped. Transfer to mixing bowl.

Add 2 cups confectioners' sugar and chocolate. Mix well with fork. Add rum and mix until ingredients are uniformly moistened. Add a little more rum, if needed, to hold ingredients together.

Line baking sheet with waxed paper. Shape fruitcake mixture into 1-inch balls by rolling between palms of hands. Repeat to make about 50 balls. Place remaining confectioners’ sugar in shallow bowl. Roll balls in sugar until thoroughly coated. Transfer to waxed paper-lined baking sheet and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour. Store rum balls in covered container for up to 3 days.

www.godiva.com