Ok, so at first I called them "Chocolate Date Balls," and my male friends cringed at calling any type of confection "balls." So... I promptly suggested "Chocolate Harry Nut Sacks." Needless to say, that name didn't stick. I have seen a number of "date ball" recipes, and decided to try it on my own. The cocoa powder and date mixture is sinfully good, and makes a great alternative when I'm craving something sweet and chocolatey!
Ingredients:
3 C. Dried Dates (pitted)
1/4 C. Cocoa Powder
3-4 Tbs. Water
1 1/2 C. Walnuts, chopped
Dried Coconut Flakes (unsweetened)
Makes about 2 dozen
Spinz:
Put the dates into a food processor, making sure there are NO pits (they're hard as rocks and will get stuck in the blade, and no one wants to bite into one). Add cocoa powder and water, then puree until a sticky ball forms and it's almost smooth- if you like it chunky, process it less, but it must stick together. Scrape out into a mixing bowl and mix in chopped walnuts- the batter will be very stiff. Finally, pour some dried coconut flakes into a shallow bowl, and roll formed date balls to coat.
Tipz:
Try your own variation- I've made cinnamon ones, and cayenne pepper ones, but still prefer the old standard. Adding peanut butter sounds interesting, although not as guiltless! You can also roll them in cocoa powder, crushed nuts, crushed choc chips, or whatever you feel like! Also, try varying the type of nut. They make great gifts if you put them into those little crinkled cups and wrap them in a nice box.
Also, I use two spoons (one bigger than the other) to form the balls by scraping the mixture back and forth between the two. I then use a spoon to roll it in the coconut. The mixture is pretty sticky and sometimes I don't like getting my hands all gunked up... not always, but sometimes.
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