This time of year the blogosphere is chuck full of tempting recipes and creative ideas, the trick is to try to manage what you want to bake with what you can bake, given your time constraints. Last week, Kelly over at Inspired Edibles (a fellow Canadian) made up a very interesting vegan ‘brownie’ and although her’s looked delightful, I was inspired to make something a wee bit different, dare I say festive, plus it wasn’t necessary for me to keep it 100% vegan.
These are surprisingly good. I have a high tolerance for healthy (or healthier foods) but JT does not; if it doesn’t taste as good as it’s full fat/sugar cousin, he will want no part of it. But I kid you not, these passed even the strictest taste test: the JT taste test. So Kelly, I hope you don’t mind, here is a slight variation on your wonderful recipe, my dried fruit hazelnut truffles, thank you kindly for the inspiration. I used hazelnut butter and hazelnut essence because hazelnuts and chocolate are a winning combo in this household.
Dried Fruit Truffles
Adapted from Inspired Edibles’ Vegan Brownies
Makes 50-60 pieces
Fruit Paste Ingredients:
- ½ c dried prunes
- ½ c dates
- 1 cup dried blueberries (I couldn’t find cherries)
- 1 c almond flour
- 3 tbsp hazelnut butter
- ¼ c unsweetened coco powder
- 1 tsp hazelnut essence (or more depending on how strong it is)
Chocolate Coating Ingredients:
- 1 cup semi-sweet and milk chocolate chips
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tsp hazelnut essence (or more depending on how strong it is)
- 1 ½ cup coarsely chopped peanuts
Fruit Paste Directions:
- Combine all the ingredients for the fruit paste in a food processor and process until smooth. Make 1-1.5cm balls of the paste, set aside.
- Melt the two chocolates and butter in a saucepan over low heat, dip the balls one by one into the hot chocolate and roll in the chopped peanuts to coat. Refrigerate to set. Serve at room temperature.
These truffles look amazing! Most holiday treats are too sweet for my tastes… but these look like something I would enjoy very much!
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Thanks so much Amber, and in terms of Christmas baking, they are likely not the worst thing for you either.
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I am much like JT. While a part of me wants to like the healthy version of treats, they just don’t give me the same satisfaction. Your truffles look delightful – and so pretty! 🙂
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[…] Fruit Paste truffles √ […]
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Hi these truffles look absolutely yummy. Thank you so much for liking my post ” Tah Dah, This years crock pot style Christmas is..”, have a wonderful holiday. Betty
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Thanks so much Betty.
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my pleasure
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Oooh, I’m a huge fan of dried fruit…so many could be used in your marvelous truffles! YUM.
PS..yes, I’d use a sweet egg dough for my tea roll…you’ll love it! Merry Christmas!
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Thanks for the tip Liz, I’ll definitely make this gorgeous breakfast roll.
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I love the full on sweet stuff too, so if JT thinks this passes the test.. and they’ve originated from a recipe of Kelly’s that’s all the recommendation I need. Have a very merry Christmas, Eva!!! xx
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Thank you kindly Barbara, we wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas too!
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I’m with JT. There are so many wonderful vegan and vegetarian recipes available that I shan’t suffer a bad dish just because it’s healthy. (Sorry about the “shan’t suffer.” I’m having my own Downton Abbey marathon.)
These truffles, though Eva, have so many flavorful ingredients that they must taste very good. They would really test my self-discipline for the usual “They may be good but they’re so unhealthy!” would not apply. Thanks for sharing another great recipe.
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Thank you kindly John, you are always so flattering. I also enjoy the Downton Abbey series, but haven’t been able to find it on our Digital Antena (we fired our cable provider, pick a reason!). One of these days, I’ll break down and buy the series.
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Hi Eva – these look like wonderful little variations on a theme from Kelly. They remind me a little of those prunes covered in chocolate which Sissi posted earlier in the year too. Hazelnut butter is the thing I’m meaning to make next too!
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Thanks Charles, I like to include at least one healthier item in my cookie gifts. I tried making hazelnut butter some time ago, and I’m afraid my processor wasn’t able to get it buttery enough…peanuts are a lot oilier so it would be easy to make peanut butter.
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Love these truffles! Sort of healthy too 🙂
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They are a healthier alternative to the fatty high sugar variety.
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These do look great, oh i cannot wait to get back into my own kitchen and start cooking again.. c
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I feel that way too during the last leg of my holidays, I just want to cook!
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I have some dried cherries I would have given you! A whole bag of them. What a gorgeous looking truffle and I’m so glad they met with JT’s approval xx
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Thank you Charlie, that would have been very generous of you,
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Eva, your truffles look lovely and what a great transition from Kelly’s brownies! I’m sure they taste great not only because of their appetising looks but also because they remind me of dried fruit truffles I prepare (have never posted them though). Truffles introduce such a festive and joyful atmosphere, don’t they?
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Thank you so much Sissi, they were very tasty and had a lovely sweetness without being overpowering. I will make them again!
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No baking, my kind of cooking. Dislike dried blueberries so will have to find dried cherries or substitute dried cranberries.
Love your table covering, the white dish looks great on it.
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Thanks Norma, Kelly at Inspired Edibles leaves the combo of fruit and nuts to your liking, you just need to be mindful that the result should be quite mailable to form it into balls or bars.
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With hazelnut butter, and all my favourite dried fruits, these truffles must be divine!
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Thanks Angie, it’s the first time I’ve used hazelnut butter but you can bet it will be a staple in our kitchen in the future.
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LOL that is very funny about JT and his non tolerance for healthy foods! They look fabulous so I can see why he liked them 🙂
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Thank you Lorraine, you’d be surprised at how sweet they actually were!
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