Prep time: 10 min • Yield: 10-12 truffles

Ingredients

• ½ cup chopped dates
• 2 tablespoons raw cacao powder or cocoa
• 2 tablespoons coconut butter
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1 scant tablespoon coffee or water
• 2 tablespoons nuts of your choice: walnuts, almonds, cashews, pecans, pistachios, pecans or hazelnuts
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

Coat with:

• Raw cacao powder or cocoa, unsweetened shredded coconut, or melted dark chocolate

Directions

1. Pulse all ingredients in food processor until they form a sticky ball.
2. Roll into 10 to 12 individual balls and place on a sheet of waxed paper or parchment. If you intend on coating in dark chocolate, place truffles in freezer for 20 to  30 minutes. If you are coating in coconut or cacao, you can do so immediately.
3. To coat in cacao powder, gently sift cacao in a fine mesh sieve over truffles. To coat in coconut, place coconut on a flat plate and roll truffles in coconut. To coat in dark chocolate, melt about 3 to 4 ounces dark chocolate in 10-second intervals in a microwave or melt chocolate in the top of a double boiler. Dip truffles individually in chocolate. To remove truffles from the melted chocolate, use two toothpicks near bottom of the truffle to maintain a smooth surface.
4. Store in the refrigerator. Remove about 30 minutes before serving.

Here’s a fun food fact:  Cacao has the scientific name Theobroma, which means “food of the gods” — no surprise to me or most other folks!