Australian Natural Health Magazine - Nourish

 Coconut macaroons meet dark chocolate truffles in these little treats. Inside the snap of the dark chocolate shell lies the tender coconut-cocoa filling: a mix of naturally sweet dates, cocoa and coconut flour.

Ingredients (makes 40)

• 2 cups whole dates, pitted and coarsely chopped (16–18 large)
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¾ cup coconut flour
• 2 tbsp raw cacao powder (from the health food store)
• 280 g dark chocolate, chopped (about 1½ cups)
• 1½ cups unsweetened shredded coconut, toasted

METHOD
Place dates in a small bowl. Pour boiling water over them and let stand until cool, about 40 minutes. Transfer the dates and liquid to a food processor. Add vanilla and salt and puree until smooth, scraping down the sides once or twice. Add coconut flour and cocoa and process, scraping the sides occasionally, until a thick dough-like paste forms. Refrigerate until very cold, two to three hours.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Using two teaspoons per truffle, roll the mixture into about 40 balls.

Place half the chocolate in a bowl set inside a saucepan quarter-filled with hot water set at medium heat (be sure not to let the bowl touch the water) and stir until it is about half melted. Remove from the heat and continue stirring until completely melted. Place coconut in a shallow dish.

Add about four date balls at a time to the melted chocolate. Working quickly, use two forks to roll each ball in the chocolate until coated. Use a fork to transfer the truffles one at a time to the coconut, letting excess chocolate drip off first. Sprinkle with coconut to coat. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet.

When the first batch of chocolate is gone and about half the date balls are coated, melt the remaining chocolate and coat the remaining balls with chocolate and coconut. Transfer the baking sheet to the refrigerator and chill until the chocolate is set, about one hour.