Raw Hazelnut and Mint Chocolate Truffles
I have been asked by many people how to make raw chocolate truffles. It is no secret that people love chocolate. Just the word arouses passionate responses from young and old alike. What better gift to give yourself and your friends than a treat that not only delights, but is also made from healthy ingredients! I once heard it said that desserts are the gateway to raw food. Why not open the door and give some of your non-raw friends a taste how good healthy raw desserts can be! Don’t tell the until after they have eaten them. They will be truly surprised!
The basis of this raw chocolate is Cacao Powder. Cacao is super-rich in antioxidant flavonols. The antioxidants in cacao are highly stable and easily available to human metabolism. Cacao powder has more than twice the antioxidants of red wine and up to three times what is found in green tea. (Cornell University). These are just a few of the healthful properties attributed to Cacao.
Raw Hazelnut and Mint Truffles
Filling
- 1 cup cashews, soaked at least 3 hours
- 1/3 cup agave (or liquid sweetener of your choice)
- 1 cup dried coconut (non-sweetened)
- Place drained cashews and agave in food processor. Process until smooth.
- Add dried coconut and mix until well combined. A ball should form.
- Remove half the mixture and set aside. You will be making two different fillings.
Hazelnut Filling
- 1/2 cup hazelnuts, soaked for at least 3 hours
- Add hazelnuts to the mixture that is still in the food processor. Process until nuts are chopped fine and mixture is well combined.
- Refrigerate for 1/2 hour.
Mint Filling
- 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
- Add peppermint extract to remaining mixture and mix well. Refrigerate for 1/2 hour.
Assembly
- Roll filling into 1″ balls. Place in freezer for 1 hour. While filling is setting up, make the raw chocolate.
Raw Chocolate
- 1 cup raw cacao butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1/3 cup powdered sucanat (finely ground in coffee grinder)
- 2 tablespoons agave (or liquid sweetener of your choice)
- 7 ounces cacao powder
- Melt cacao butter and coconut oil in dehydrator or over hot water.
- In food processor, combine melted cacao butter, coconut oil, agave and vanilla. Remove 1/2 mixture and set aside.
- Add 1/2 cacao powder and combine. Add sucanant and combine. Add cacao butter that was set aside and combine.
- Add remaining cacao powder, mix well. It should be quite liquid at this point. It will harden as it cools.
Assembly
- Take a filling ball and place a toothpick in it.
- Dip it in the melted raw chocolate.
- Holding the chocolate dipped ball over the chocolate, let the extra chocolate run off. Be patient and wait until it has all dripped off. You can slowly turn the ball while it is dripping to get better coverage.
- Holding the chocolate covered ball upright, slide just the tip of a fork off under the ball, very carefully slide the ball onto a non-stick sheet. Repeat until all filling balls are covered. Place back in refrigerator to set chocolate.
Notes: Sucanat is not considered to be raw. It is made from the juice of the sugar cane. It is not a “processed sugar” and retains the highest nutrient value of the sugar cane (which is not exceptional, by the way).
Michal wrote on December 16, 2009
Beautiful!
Barbarella wrote on December 16, 2009
Thank you:) From my trials, the ones with coconut oil melted pretty sooner than the other containing cacao butter. Maybe for making a christmas gifts I should avoid each one ( coconut oil & cocoa butter) and make them only with dried fruits and nuts. All the best!
Barbarella wrote on December 16, 2009
Hi, I wonder how long they will last, do you have any idea? I was experimenting with truffles a while ago, and used very similiar ingridients, and they turned out really amazing, now I would like to make them more, as a christmas gifts for my friends, relatives etc, and I wonder how long they can last??. Do you have any idea also if they keep firm all the time in a room temperature? Many thanks, your blog and posts are incredibile:):)
Susan wrote on December 16, 2009
Honestly, not being a food scientist, I do not know how long these will last. They stay hard at room temp but if you are going to keep them for a while, I would suggest refrigeration. Coconut oil has a very long shelf life as does the cacao butter.
polly raichert wrote on December 15, 2009
I haven’t used cocnut butter either. Is it measure for measure? I have some- just havent used it. It should be healthier. Susan is it one cup before or after soaking? Thanks
Susan wrote on December 15, 2009
You can not use coconut oil to substitute for cacao butter. Cacao butter is hard, like a brick. You will not get the same results. I also recommend measuring the cacao by weight.
Kimi @ The Nourishing Gourmet wrote on December 15, 2009
Oh, and I love coconut sugar by the way. It’s my preference over rapardura and sucanat.
Kimi @ The Nourishing Gourmet wrote on December 15, 2009
What a lovely presentation! This recipe look divine.
Heidi wrote on December 15, 2009
Wow! It looks delicious! Can you use honey or coconut sugar instead of Sucanat? And if it’s okay to use more coconut oil or coconut butter instead of cacao butter since we do not have it in stock? Is 7 ounces cacao powder almost a cup? Thanks again! Merry Christmas everyone 🙂
Susan wrote on December 15, 2009
Because you are making a hard chocolate…like a chocolate bar, I wouldn’t substitute more coconut oil. It is the cacao butter that sets it up. Also, I don’t think I would try the honey, completely different consistency. As far as the coconut sugar, I have no experience with it.
Diana @ frontyardfoodie wrote on December 15, 2009
Oh my! Those look positively decadent! I should make those as a Christmas treat for my family. That would be a really good way to show how tasty raw food can be.
L.D. wrote on December 15, 2009
When I first found your website I was really impressed. It looks like a professional website. I think that the items you make look amazing and your presentation is gorgeous. I have almost all of your recipes in my list of to do soon recipes.