Sunday 8 February 2015

Valentine's Day Healthy Chocolates



Not gonna lie.

On February 14th, I would like a box of See's Nuts and Chews.

But if you have been eating buckets of soups and barrels of salads (not in one sitting, of course) since the first of the year to counteract the affects of holiday indulgence, then these little jewels might, just might, surprise you.

Dense, flavorful and sweet enough.

As in sweet enough if you don't compare them to See's!


Place the following in a food processor:

1/2 cup of whole almonds (dry toasted in a pan on medium heat for approx. 5 minutes; then cooled)

(pulse a few times)

Add:

1-1/2 cups of dried apricots
1 Tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
pinch of salt

(pulse for 30 seconds)

Add:

1 cup toasted coconut

(pulse till desired consistency, about 15 seconds)

Roll a tablespoon, at a time, of the sticky mixture into a ball and place on Silpat (or waxed paper).

Melt 8 ounces of dark chocolate (72% dark chocolate from Trader Joe's works well) over a double-boiler on low heat.

Drop the balls into the chocolate and roll around until covered.


Place chocolate balls back on Silpat (or waxed paper) and chill in refrigerator  for 20 minutes to set.

Place in paper candy cups.



Serve. Package and share with friends. Or just take a bite.




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