Description
Dates are often a perfect after dinner bite to satisfy my sweet tooth, but add some chocolate, and they’re sure to satisfy every dessert fan.
Ingredients
14 pitted Medjool dates
6 Tbsp raw cacao powder
4 Tbsp coconut oil (softened)
1 tsp alcohol free vanilla extract
Optional Toppings
1/4 c raw cacao powder for dusting
-or-
1/2c vegan chocolate chips (I buy Enjoy Life brand)
1 Tbsp coconut oil
Instructions
Cover dates with hot water, let soak for 5 minutes, then drain. This will soften them up, making it easier work for the processor.
Put the dates, cacao, coconut oil, and vanilla in a food processor and process until a pasty ball forms. It will be very sticky but scrape everything out of the processor and put in a large bowl.
Line a tray with parchment paper. Using a small ice cream scoop or a teaspoon, scrape heaps of the truffle mixture onto the parchment paper (don’t worry about their shape at this point, just divide up the mixture). Place the whole tray into the freezer for about 10 minutes.
Remove from the freezer and roll all of the pieces between your hands to form round balls. It’s a good idea to keep some warm water to dip your fingers in if you find the mixture too sticky to work with.
Place the balls back into the freezer for another 5-10 minutes and prepare your toppings.
If dipping the truffles in chocolate, melt the chips and coconut oil in a double boiler, stirring until smooth, and transfer to a bowl. Place one truffle at a time in the bowl and rotate with a fork until completely coated. Lift out of the bowl on the fork, letting excess chocolate drip off.
Place back on the parchment paper and let set. You may want to consider topping with a few grains of sea salt.
If topping with cacao powder, right before serving, simply dust with powder using a mesh strainer or use your fingers to roll the truffles in a bowl of powder. If you dust too early, the moisture from the truffles will absorb the powder, and they’re not as pretty.
Keywords: Vegan, Gluten-free, Dairy-free