Christmas “Schokoli” are chocolate cookies of my childhood. We made them every Advent season. I refined my mother’s recipe with a bit of tonka bean. This is how the small, tender chocolate balls taste even better! And somehow even more Christmassy!

Tonka beans are one of my favorite spices. They are perfect for refining pastries and desserts, but also give savory sauces – used sparingly – a fine, exotic touch. I prefer to use tonka beans from “Altes Gewürzamt” [Old Spice Office]. There, the Tonka beans are placed in rum for 24 hours and then fermented. This creates a unique aroma of bitter almonds, woodruff and vanilla.

The “Schokoli” are really easy to make. I always made them – as my mom did – together with my son and my daughter when they were very small. And indeed, they loved to turn the balls between their palms and drag the nut into the middle. So, do not read for long, but directly to the mixing bowl!