Somebody has flipped the switch to all-out winter, across the country it seems. Brrrr...
People who can easily imagine eating a raw diet in the warmer months, when gazpacho and salads and cool fruit smoothies are all you feel like eating any way. But eating flavorful, warming foods like ginger, cayenne and other spices can make you feel toasty all over, without turning on the oven or boiling the kettle for tea.
Such is the case with these scrumptious Mexcian chocolate truffles, which I made for the Art Loop at Fresh Thymes about a week ago. And since the base is dates and walnuts, you can even eat them for breakfast (believe me - I have!).
Mexican Chocolate Truffles
1 cup walnuts
1 cup dates, pitted
1/4-1/2 cup raw cacao powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or a pinch of vanilla beans
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1-2 tablespoons orange zezt
1-2 teaspoons cinnamon
In a food processor, blend walnuts, dates, salt and vanilla until a uniform dough forms. You should not see any walnut bits any more, the walnuts will be releasing their oils and greasing up the food processor, and the dough will be balling up.
Add the cocoa powder, orange zest, cinnamon and cayenne. The amounts I listed above are just a guide - start with a little, and add more of one or another to taste.
Process again, tasting for a nice balance of the flavorings, until well combined, and dough is again balling up.
Either roll into 1/2-1 teaspoon size truffles, or refrigerate the ball of dough, if it is still a little crumbly, to make it easier to work with. Refrigerate or freeze until ready to serve. before serving, dust with a 1:1 mixture of cocoa and cinnamon (I put mine in an old spice shaker). These should keep for at least a week in the fridge, longer in the freezer...unless I come over!
Enjoy your cozy, warming treat...raw appetit!
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