Raw Mayan Truffles
A girl can’t resist chocolate. It can’t be a DQ double-dipped cone (I admit it), a dark chocolate bar (I have done that once, twice, or three times), or a big slice of chocolate cake. We don’t want to become that fat piece of cake (right?). Just checking …).
Friends, I’ve got a solution. Cayenne, cinnamon, and nutmeg give these truffles a spicy kick. Dates make this sweet and bring everything together. Sweet, tangy, and chocolaty, I think we’ve covered all the bases, right?
Ashlae, the sweetest person on Earth, from Ah, Lady Cakes, was the inspiration for these vegan truffles. I found her blog several months ago and immediately sent her an “email friend request” expressing how wonderful I thought she and her blog, and specifically her raw cocoa ice cream, were. She responded just hours later, saying, “Thanks for not writing to me to say how horrible it is for people to think that it’s okay for them to consume 500-calorie ice cream bowls. WHO COUNTS THE CALORIES ??!?!?!! “The nerve of some people, I tell you.”
Her lovely Lady Cakes inspired these vegan truffles (is that appropriate?). Raw was the clincher for me. She added cacao, and then she killed me with truffle. I added some spice and coffee. It would be best if you tried them both because they are delicious in either case.
Ingredients
- 2 cups raw almonds
- Add more cacao powder to the mix for rolling.
- To keep the recipe raw, use 2 Tbsp of dairy-free semisweet chips.
- 12-13 dates whole (soaked in water for 15 minutes*).
- 1-2 Tbsp date water (optional)
- Vietnamese cinnamon, 1/2 tsp
- Cayenne pepper, 1/2 tsp (start with less if you have a super-fresh/spicy cayenne)
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
Instructions
- Place almonds into a Food Processor. Process until the consistency is similar to an almond meal. The pieces should be fine, but you must stop the process before the butter starts to form.
- Add cacao powder, dates (minus water), and spices. Mix well.
- If your batter doesn’t come together, add 1 Tbsp of date water. The batter should be hard to process by this stage.
- Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and freeze for 15 minutes.
- Roll into 1-inch-sized balls. The balls will be sticky, but they can be handled with warm hands.
- Keep frozen to maintain freshness. They can be eaten chilled or at room temperature. They tasted better when they were a little warmer.
