Every Day I'm Trufflling...

So, while reviewing my cart on the check-out line at Whole Foods, I picked up one of the few packaged items among the heaps of cruciferous and root veggies. It was one of may favorite treats, the 88% dark (not for amateurs!) chocolate bar by Endangered Species. It really is lovely bar/ company; all sustainably sourced ingredients, they donate 10% of net profits to wildlife preservation, not to mention (and most importantly) delicious. However, in my effort to save packaging/money/the world, I shifted my gaze to the bag of figs in my cart and remembered the huge bag of raw cacao powder in my fridge at home. And the rest is history...no, really, these truffles won't last very long!

Pink salt, coconut flakes, rose petals and love

Ingredients: (makes 14 truffles) 

1 cup almond meal (alternatively, put whole almonds in a food processor and pulse until it reaches a flour-like consistency. You can also use another kind of nut or seeds such as sunflower to make them nut-free)

2/3 cup dried fid

4 generous tablespoons raw cacao powder (I purchased a two-pack of Navitas Naturals and put one in the freezer and keep one in my fridge. It's a bit of an investment at first, but it will last...or not if I keep making truffles :)

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup water (preferably filtered)

I'm an addict. A coconut addict, that is!

Toppings:

The options are really endless as this almond/fig combo creates a very versatile base. Here are the two versions I made, by feel free to play around!

Version #1: Cinna-Sesame (sesame seeds, ground cinnamon, pinch of cayenne pepper, pinch of ground ginger)

Version #2: Salted-Coconut (dried coconut flake with course pink Himalayan sea salt mixed in) I also stuck a little dried rose petal on top, just to make them extra fancy

Other ideas: bee pollen, dried lavender or other herbs, goji berries, cacao nibs...

These taste as good as they look

Combine the almond meal, figs, cacao powder and vanilla extract in the base of a food processor.Process on high as you slowly stream the water into the running processor. It should form a sticky dough pretty quickly, but you may need to stop the machine and scrape down the sides. Using a measuring spoon, scoop out 1 TBS of the dough and roll it between your palms into a nice ball. Repeat until no dough remains. You should be able to make 14 truffles, though it will depend on the size of your balls (and also how much dough you use for each truffle. haha!) Get all your topping ingredients ready on a big plate. Have a small bowl of warm water handy to dip each truffle in before rolling the topping of choice to help it stick. I also found that coating my hands in coconut oil first prevented the dough from sticking, while simultaneously moisturizing my hands! These can be enjoyed immediately or stored in the freezer for later.