ALMOND CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

MAKES 24 Provides: Other fruits, nuts and seeds. IF YOU’RE going to have something sweet, you might as well make it something that’s also nutritious.

60g chopped and pitted soft dates

50g raw cashews, soaked in hot water for

3 hours and then drained

3 tbsp almond butter

50g unsweetened cocoa powder

60g date sugar/syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract Ground almonds, for coating COMBINE the dates and cashews in a food processor and process to a paste. Add the almond butter and process to combine. Add the cocoa powder, date sugar, vanilla and 1 tsp water. Pulse until well combined. If too dry to hold together, add a bit more water, 1 tsp at a time, until the mix can be shaped into balls. If too soft, refrigerate for 20 minutes or longer. To firm up, add more cocoa powder, 1 tsp at a time. Use your hands to shape and roll a small amount of the mixture into a 2.5cm ball and transfer to a plate. Repeat until all the mixture has been rolled into balls. Place the ground almonds in a shallow bowl. Roll the truffles in the almonds until they’re coated, pressing on them if needed to cover completely. Transfer the coated truffles to a plate and refrigerate until firm before serving. TIP: If dates are not soft, soak them in hot water for 20 minutes. Drain and pat dry.