I’m going to say something, but you have to promise to keep reading…  Ok, these are almost 100% raw, vegan and have no added sugar.

Still with me??

Rewind to January 2011, I stayed at Satsanga Retreat Center in Goa, India.  In addition to peaceful grounds and private rooms, Satsanga has an Ayurvedic chef who prepares daily meals.  One evening, the sweet was a chocolate date ball.  So delicious, filling and satisfying.  I’ve been hunting around for a recipe ever since.  Actually, this is a lie.  I haven’t looked at all, but saw (and bought) them once at Whole Foods.   But as luck would have it, this month’s subscription of Bon Appetit has paid off once again, they brought me a date truffle.

This is just the kind of cooking I like.  Experimental and low labor, highlighting pantry ingredients.

Per usual, I’ve made this my own, as I suggest you do as well.  The recipe said it would make 20, but miraculously only produced 10.  If I had a dollar for every time a dessert recipe said it would make twice what it did, well, I’d have a few bucks at least.  I don’t make dessert often, they are usually bought.

“Makes about 20” or 10, in my experience.  Raw cacao powder can be found at natural food stores, in the baking isle of most supermarkets and Trader Joe’s.

 

Ingredients:

Truffles:

5 tablespoons raw cacao powder

1 1/2 cups Medjool dates, pitted

2 tablespoons oats or almond meal

3 tablespoons roasted pistachio nuts

3 tablespoon chocolate chips

Roll your balls:

4 drops of almond extract

pinch of salt

 

Roll Your Balls:

1/3 cup cacao powder

pinch of salt

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons chopped pistachios

 

Directions:

1) Puree cacao powder, dates, oats, and salt in a food processor.  Add water by the tablespoon until you have a smooth but thick consistency.  Add a bit of oats if it’s too wet.  Add pistachios and chocolate chips, whirl to combine but you want it to have bits of crunchy pieces.

2) In a small dish, mix together dry “Roll Your Balls” ingredients.

3) Scoop out date puree by the tablespoon and roll into teaspoon sized balls; roll in cacao mixture and place in a serving dish.  Store covered in the refrigerator for up to a week.

 

Foodie note: You can make these up to 2 days in advance and bring to a party.  Don’t tell people they’re healthy… no one will ever know.

 

Bonus: I’m also including the “Lazy-Man’s” version…

Split open date, remove seed and stuff with 3-4 pistachio nuts, then smoosh back together.  In a small jar add a bit of cocoa powder and a dash of cinnamon.  Put stuffed dates into jar and shake to coat.  Devour in bliss.

Keywords:  Satsanga Retreat, Jodi Boone, Tami Hafzalla, vegan, raw, date truffles, healthy desserts