We’re gathering to celebrate my baby sister’s 23 years of life today.
It just so happens she’s also cutting refined sugar out of her diet, which meant Project: Sugar-Free Dessert was a mission I was game to take on. Usually this is our big sister’s department, as she makes the most breath-taking cakes and treats, exquisite for both the palate and the eyeballs.
But these….these little balls of chewy, chocolatey goodness, calling on the natural sweet power of dates, prunes and maple syrup, are deeply satisfying and incredibly tasty.
All Natural Chocolate Truffles
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup pitted dates
- 1 cup pitted prunes
- 1/2 cup of almond butter* (or other nut butter)
- 2 tablespoons of maple syrup
- 1/2 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup of grated unsweetened coconut
*I made my own almond butter by dumping about a cup of almonds in the food processor and processing through the powder stage until it starts to clump together. I then added about 1-2 tablespoons of coconut oil and continued to process it until it was at the right consistency – I think the coconut oil really added to the flavor and texture of these truffles.
Directions:
- Grab your food processor and chop up those prunes and dates, processing until a smooth consistency develops.
- Add the almond butter, maple syrup, and cocoa powder.
- Continue to process mixture until smooth (this may take a few minutes).
- Avoiding the blade, pinch out some of the ‘dough’ and roll the mixture into 1 inch balls. With your shredded coconut spread on a plate, roll each ball in the coconut and set aside.
- These are great at room temperature or chilled…if they last that long.
For a visual step-by-step of this recipe, check out teaspoon (this is where my delightful neighbor found this recipe – but note that it was been tweaked from the original [for instance, I doubled the cocoa powder!]).
