The Four Tops ~ Reach Out
Gilbert O'Sullivan ~ Matrimony
Shakira ~ Did It Again
Madeleine Peyroux ~ Between The Bars
Gordon Haskell ~ How Wonderful You Are
Three weeks ago the world gave me a wonderful treat...Raw Chocolate Fudgy Balls. Oh.Yes! No added preservatives or sugars...and pure chocolate. Marvelous as my pal F would say. And it inspired me to try my own creations. I'm saving the chocolate experiments and creations until they are 'needed'..sorry guys..lol So my mission was to try and create a sweet bite without the chocolate hit.
It's sad to admit but here in Blighty Medjool Dates are very pricey..I bought a small box of 8 and it cost over £4 and although I admit they were delightful and made the Chocolate Fudgy Balls succulent. And cashews..well..any nuts are also very pricey so my challenge was to source a cheaper option and hopefully keep all the flavour and texture. Challenge or what? Eh? lol
I do draw the line at buying the really cheap dates that are bullet like and taste of the oils they are dried in. They are pointless to me. So I bulk buy mine from GoodnessDirect.com as they stock dates that have none of the sulphurs and are not dried in oil. And..yes..they are still nowhere near as nice as Medjool...they are as near as we can afford. Medjools are a once in a while treat.
So armed with a large packet of my regular dates and a large bag of ground almonds I set to work. My first batch were very simple..Date and Almond Bites. I wanted a very simple flavour and they came together well. The second batch was dates, almonds and unsweetened shredded coconut. I used the coconut two ways...firstly ground up with the almonds and then left in shreds as a coating for the bites. I was really pleased with them.
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| On the left: Rocket and Roses Date & Almond Bites. On the right: Rocket and Roses Coconut & Date Bites |
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| Rocket and Roses Date & Almond Bites |
(Original recipe from the Rocket and Roses Vegan Kitchen)
1 cup or 6oz dried dates, pitted and finely chopped
1/4 cup or 1 1/2 oz ground almonds
In a blender place the ground almonds and blitz on pulse for a few seconds. Then add the chopped dates and being patient..I know..me? lol alternate pulsing and pushing back down with a small spatula until the two ingredients are forming a ball of 'dough'. It should easily drop out the blender when tipped up. Knead the dough to ensure the two are combined. Mould it into a flat square and slice into 4. Then cut into 15 pieces and shape into desired bitesize pieces. Store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to eat.
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| Rocket and Roses Coconut & Date Bites |
(Original recipe from the Rocket and Roses Kitchen)
1 cup or 6oz dried dates, pitted and finely chopped
1/4 cup or 1 1/2 oz ground almonds
2 tbsp unsweetened desicated coconut
2 tbsp unsweetened desicated coconut - for rolling
Place the ground almonds and coconut shreds into a blend and blitz until the coconut is completely ground down. Add the chopped dates and alternate pulsing and pushing down with a small spatula until the ingredients form into a 'dough' ball. Tip out and knead for a few moments to ensure the ingredients are combined. Form into a flat square and cut into four strips. Cut into 16 pieces and form into the desired bitesize shapes. Sprinkle the remaining coconut shreds onto a little plate and gently roll each side of the bites into it. It should be speckled with coconut and not encased! lol Store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to eat.
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| And there is always a reason for one more close up, eh? lol |
~R~
