Tag: Dessert

Recipes

Delicious Paleo Chocolate Truffles

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Got chocolate cravings? Try this recipe for amazingly decadent yet wonderfully healthy chocolate truffles. Best yet, they’re Paleo, dairy-free, and gluten-free. Once you make the basic recipe you can experiment with different flavors by substituting the vanilla extract with other flavored extracts like peppermint, almond, or orange. You can also try rolling the truffles in finely chopped almonds, pecans, or walnuts to garnish.

Makes about 30 truffles

Basic Truffle Recipe

  • 8 oz. unsweetened 100% chocolate pieces
  • 1/2 cup canned coconut milk
  • 4 Tbs raw honey
  • 1 Tbs pure vanilla extract
  • 1/8 tsp sea salt

For Chocolate Coconut Truffles

  • 1/3 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

For Spicy Cinnamon Chocolate Truffles

  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp cayenne powder

To make the basic truffle recipe use a hot water bath method to melt the chocolate. If you don’t have a double boiler you can nest a smaller pot inside of a large pot. Fill the large pot with about 2 inches of water and heat over low. Add the chocolate pieces, coconut milk, vanilla, and salt to the small pot and heat gently until completely melted, stirring often with a wooden spoon. Once melted, add in the honey and remove the pot from the heat. Transfer the chocolate mixture to a small bowl and let cool in the fridge until it is firm (about 60-90 minutes).

Once the chocolate has set, get your other ingredients ready. If you are making the coconut truffles place the shredded coconut on a small plate. If making the spicy cinnamon truffles then mix together those ingredients and spread on a small plate.

Using a spoon or melon baller, scoop out a small amount of chocolate mixture. Roll the mixture using clean hands to form a small ball. Roll the ball of chocolate in the coconut or spicy cinnamon so that all sides are covered and set aside. Continue until all of the chocolate has been used. The truffles can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week (but they likely won’t last that long!).

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Recipes

Paleo Persimmon Cookies

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These cookies are a winter tradition for me and I have made them almost every year without fail for the past 17 years. The recipe is from my Great-Aunt, via my Grandmother, and is a family favorite. I adapted the recipe to be grain and dairy free and they are just as delicious as the ones I grew up loving.

Note: The recipe calls for Hachiya persimmons, which are the tear-dropped shaped variety that is used mostly for baking. Hachiya persimmons  are extremely astringent until they are VERY ripe and they will usually need to ripen on the counter for 1 to 2 weeks before they are ready to use. Don’t worry if they develop small black spots on the outer skin, this is common while they are ripening.

Makes 2.5 dozen cookies

  • 2 very ripe Hachiya persimmons
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup coconut sugar
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil
  • 2 1/2 cups almond flour
  • 1/2 cup coconut flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • 1 cup raisins
  • 1 cup pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Prepare the persimmons by removing the stems and peeling them. Place the inner persimmon flesh in a blender and blend until smooth. Transfer the persimmon pulp to a small bowl (you should have 1 cup of pulp) and mix in the baking soda; let stand. In a large bowl, mix together the flours, salt, and spices. In a separate bowl, blend the coconut oil and sweetener using a hand mixer. Mix in the eggs and persimmon pulp mixture. Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix well. Add the pecans and raisins. Oil two cookie sheets and spoon the cookie dough onto the sheets. Bake the cookies for 35-40 minutes, or until done.

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Recipes

Walnut Stuffed Figs

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These are a beautiful treat for late summer parties.

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Serves 5.

Stuffed Figs

  • 10 fresh ripe Figs (I used Mission variety, but any kind will do)
  • 1/2 cup Walnut halves or pieces
  • 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground Cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp ground Cloves
  • 1/8 tsp ground Nutmeg

Vanilla Cashew Creme

  • 1 1/2 cups raw Cashews
  • 6 pitted Dates
  • 1 Tbsp Coconut oil
  • 2 Tbsp Vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp Sea Salt

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place the dates and the cashews for the vanilla cashew cream in a bowl. Add just enough water to cover the ingredients and let soak for 30 minutes. Slice the figs and arrange in a glass baking dish. Chop walnuts into small pieces and mix with salt and spices in a bowl. Make a depression in the figs with your finger or a spoon and then spoon spiced nut mixture into the fig halves. Bake figs for approximately 20 minutes or until they have slightly softened.

While the figs are baking, remove and strain the cashews and dates, making sure to reserve the soaking water. Place all ingredients for the vanilla cream in the food processor and blend, adding 1 Tbsp of the soaking water at a time until the mixture is the consistency of smooth frosting. Set aside.

Serve the figs warm and drizzled with Vanilla Cashew Cream.

Recipes

Spiced Date Rolls

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These delicious and healthy date rolls are perfect for sharing.

Makes about 1 dozen.

  • 1 cup Dates
  • 1 cup raw Almonds
  • zest of 1 Orange
  • 1/4 cup shredded, unsweetened Coconut
  • 1/2 inch fresh Ginger root, peeled and diced
  • 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground Cinnamon
  • 3 Tbs water

Place all ingredients except for water and coconut into a food processor. Blend while adding the water a small amount at a time until ingredients form a smooth paste. Place shredded coconut onto a plate. Scoop out a small amount of date paste and roll in your palm to form a 1 inch ball. Roll the ball in the coconut and set aside. Repeat until all the date paste has been used.IMG_0518

Recipes

Raw Chocolate Tart with Vanilla Creme and Raspberry Coulis

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This is a decadent dessert perfect for special occasions. The filling is made with avocados to give it a thick, velvety smooth texture. It has a rich chocolate flavor that goes perfectly with the sweet vanilla creme and slightly tart raspberry coulis. It is also delicious on its own and can be served like chocolate mousse. This recipe is gluten-free, vegan, and made without refined sugar. It takes approximately one-and-a-half to two hours to prepare.

Serves 8-12

Crust

  • 1 cup dried, shredded coconut
  • 1 cup raw macadamia nuts
  • 4 pitted dates
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp coconut oil

Filling

  • 2 avocados
  • 6 dates, soaked for one hour in a little water
  • 1 Tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1 Tbsp honey
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 cup carob powder*
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

*Carob powder can be found at most health food stores in the baking or bulk sections. It has a sweet flavor somewhat similar to chocolate. It is used in this recipe to enhance the flavor of the cocoa powder, which can sometimes be bitter on its own.

Vanilla Crème

  • 1 1/2 cups raw cashews, soaked for 30 minutes in a little water
  • 6 pitted dates, soaked for 30 minutes in a little water
  • 1 Tbsp coconut oil
  • 2 Tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt

Raspberry Coulis

  • 1 pint raspberries, fresh or frozen
  • 2 Tbsp orange juice
  • 1 tsp orange zest
  • 2-3 Tbsp honey

Start by soaking the dates for the vanilla crème and filling and the cashews for the vanilla crème in separate bowls. Add just enough water to cover the ingredients. Blend the ingredients for the crust in a food processor until they are smooth and can be pressed together into a dough. Press the mixture into a 9″ x 1.125″ tart pan with a removable bottom; making sure it evenly covers the bottom and all sides of the pan. Set the crust aside in the refrigerator.

Retrieve the dates and cashews for the vanilla crème from the soaking water, making sure to reserve the date soaking water. Place all ingredients for the vanilla crème in the food processor and blend, adding 1 Tbsp of the date soaking water at a time until the mixture is the consistency of smooth frosting. Set aside.

Blend all ingredients for the raspberry coulis in a blender or food processor until smooth and then set aside.

Drain the dates for the filling and add to the food processor with the rest of the ingredients for the filling. Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides occasionally to ensure that everything is well mixed. Spoon the filling into the crust. Starting at the center, push it out to the edges with a rubber spatula so that it forms one even layer. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours until it is set (longer is also fine).

Serve the tart chilled, with a dollop of vanilla crème and a drizzle of the raspberry coulis.