Lovely little tastes of chocolate
We’ve had a bit of a healthy eating fad going on at our house for a couple of weeks – no tea, coffee alcohol, refined/processed carbohydrates, starchy foods, low GI everything, lots of water, exercise and vegetables. I’m calling it a low carb, anti inflammatory, liver cleansing diet. This morning, looking for a bit of a chocolate fix I came up with this recipe that used the coconut oil that had just been delivered.
I can’t work out how it can taste so good and still be healthy but apart from the calories it appears to be pretty healthy.
The second recipe makes a more serious amount of food – you need to be strong – if I have it I will eat it so for me it is best to make the smaller quantity in the first recipe unless we are doing visitors or Christmas.
These are so delicious and you don’t realise that you are actually eating dates. The original concept was for date truffles but making the little balls with this larger quantity was so tedious that in the end I just pressed the mixture into a cake tin that was lined with silicone paper, sprinkled it all with a generous layer of coconut sugar (or coconut) which I pushed down with the tamper from the coffee machine (or back of a spoon would do) and put it in the fridge to set. It was easy to remove, using the paper, and cut into small block chocolate sized squares.You can then have tiny little squares of chocolate when the need for a sweet kick occurs, but try to limit it.
Emergency Chocolate Fix
Mix all of the following together, working the coconut oil through the dry ingredients. Quickly roll into teaspoon size pieces into balls then into coconut.
- 2 fresh dates – chopped
- 2 dried apricots – chopped
- 2 tsp Dutch processed cocoa
- 1 tbs coconut oil
- 2 tbs chopped nuts & seeds (1 always have a jar of these)
- 1 tbs desiccated coconut
Date and Chocolate Squares or Truffles
– Is this Paleo??
Ingredients
- 1 cup of dates
- 1/3 cup cocoa (I used Dutch processed)
- 1/4 cup blanched almonds
- 1/4 cup hazelnut meal
- 1/4 cup desiccated coconut
- 1/4 cup walnuts
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut
Method
1. Put everything except the shredded coconut into the food processor and process until it is all chopped and mixed but not binding. It looks a bit like coarse breadcrumbs. Get a little bit and squeeze and roll it into a lump. It should stick together. Now stir in the shredded coconut, this gives it a bit more texture.
2. At this point you need to decide if you are going to make them into little balls or squares. I usually start with the little balls then get bored and then decide that little squares are just as tasty and much faster. If making the balls make them quite small, these pack a bit of a kick flavour wise. Just take small teaspoonfuls of the mixture, roll them into balls and then roll in coconut sugar or cocoa powder.
Roll them in coconut sugar – these ones are a bit too big.
3. To make the squares – Line a small tray, or dish with silicone baking paper, letting it overhang the ends enough to be able to use them as handles. Press all of the mixture into it. Sprinkle with coconut sugar or cocoa and press in if you are going to take them somewhere, for snacks I just leave as is.
If the tray is too big just use a part of it. I trim the edges off later anyway – little chef’s treats to be eaten alone. Put the lot in the fridge to set.
Cut up on baking paper after cooling in the fridge
4. Remove the slab using the baking paper as handles. Cut the edges off to neaten them up then cut the slab into approximately 1 ½cm squares. I store them in the freezer, just to hide them from sight.