Date Cocoa Balls

Rich and indulgent but full of fruit and nuts, this is dairy free and gluten free. They’re great with tea or coffee, make lovely after dinner truffles and double as snacks.

Makes: 20-40 (depending on size). Prep: 10 mins. Cooling time: 1 hour.
Stores: For up to a week in a sealed container in the fridge.

Tools

• Mixing bowl
• Knife
• Mixing spoon
• Scales

Ingredients

• 200 grams walnuts
• 85 grams cocoa
• Pinch of salt (optional)
• 1-2 cardamom pods (optional)
• 400 grams medjool dates
• 75 grams almonds, roughly chopped
• 75 grams pistachios, roughly chopped
• More cocoa (optional)

Instructions

1. Remove the stones from the dates.
2. Blitz the walnuts in a food processor until they are a fine, fluffy powder.
3. Finely grind the cardamom.
4. Add the cocoa, cardamom and salt to the walnuts and mix.
5. Add the dates, one by one, until you have a well-mixed, sticky mixture that keeps its shape when pressed together.
6. Mix in the chopped nuts.
7. Take a tablespoon of mixture and roll into balls.
8. Or, press into a cake tin and cut into squares.
9. Roll in, or sprinkle with, cocoa.
10. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Keeps for weeks. (The texture changes a little over time as the outside dries out. That’s why an airtight container is good.)