Easy adult chocolate truffles

 

 

These are amazing for people who like really posh chocolate with gorgeous flavours.  I have adapted Anna Jones recipe (from her book The Modern Cook’s Year) by using coconut sugar instead of standard brown sugar.  It gives a gorgeous very slight crunch to the truffles.  Keep them in the fridge until serving though, otherwise they melt.

This mix makes a lot (I got around 40), and will keep you in truffles for a couple of weeks.

For the flavouring, I used ground cardamom (1 teaspoon) and the rind of 1 organic orange which turned out gorgeously.  I found the crushed rose petal topping looked spectacular and everyone wanted to eat those ones

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60g coconut oil, plus extra to grease
30g coconut sugar (gives a lovely crunch)
200g no-added sugar nut butter at room temperature (raw nut butter is healthiest)
200g dark chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa solids, I used 81% for a less sweet truffle)
Seeds from 1 vanilla pod or ¾ level teaspoon vanilla powder or vanilla extract
2 big pinches of Himalayan salt
20 x 20cm brownie tin (with removable base.  If you have to use a normal tin then I suggest lining it with silicon baking parchment so its easier to remove from the tin)

Additional flavours (optional)
Zest of 1 unwaxed/organic orange, lemon or lime
Smoked sea salt
Seeds of 3 cardamom pods, crushed (or use ¾ teaspoon ground cardamom)
½ teaspoon ground Ceylon cinnamon

To coat
50g raw cocoa or cocoa powder
Pistachios, almonds, finely chopped
Candied ginger, finely chopped
Grated dark chocolate
Dried rose petals, crushed

1. Grease a 20cmx20cm square brownie tin with coconut oil.
2. Heat the coconut oil and sugar in a saucepan on a low heat until the oil has melted (the coconut sugar won’t really melt, I find).
3. Take the pan off the heat and add chocolate, nut butter, vanilla, salt and stir till melted.  Then add the whatever flavourings you are using.
4. Pour the mix into the tin and chill for around 2 hours until set solid.
5. Turn the truffle slab out onto a cool work surface and cut into squares (mine were nearly 2cm) then gently dip each truffle in its coating to cover.  I found I got half of them done then had to put everything in the fridge to harden up again is it was all starting to melt.

The truffles will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks in a sealed container.  If you want to keep them cool when serving, place on a chilled plate in the fridge until just ready to serve.

Why these are better for you
Although these contain cocoa (a stimulant) and a small amount of sugar (coconut and the normal sugar in the chocolate) they also contain some protein (from nut butter).  That means they don’t upset your blood sugar and cause massive inflammation the way normal chocolates do. Coconut sugar also has a lower glycaemic load than normal sugar (doesnt pump up blood sugar quite as much as traditional sugar AND contains more minerals).  All sweet foods are still high carbohydrate though so these chocs are intended as a treat rather than a staple.  Vanilla, cinnamon, cardamom, cocoa and organic citrus zest are antioxidant and anti-inflammatory – good if you want to look better and be more well for longer.  Coconut oil is easier to digest than all other fats as its absorbed in a different way in your gut.  It contains medium chain triglycerides which are used directly for energy by your brain.