The perfect festive treat, these little balls are jam packed with natures goodness. They taste like the real thing (minus the alcohol and bloating afterwards!). They are super simple to make and fun too.
Ingredients
Base:
150g Ground Almonds
1 Cup Mixed Dried Fruit (a mixture of any dried fruit- medjool dates, dried cranberries, apricots, golden berries, raisins, sultanas etc- so long as you make up 1 cups' worth)
1tsp Orange Zest
½tsp Lemon Zest (optional)
½tsp Mixed Spice
2 tsp Cacao Nibs (optional)
1 tbsp water
Top:
40g Cacao Butter
1.5 TBSP Maple Syrup, Raw Honey or Sweetener (stevia etc)
¼ tsp ground vanilla
1TBSP Goji Berries
5 mint leaves
Instructions
Have a baking sheet ready
In to a food processor place the mixed dried fruit and blend for 1-2 minutes until beginning to crumble down, add in the mixed spice, cacao nibs and orange and continue to blend
Now add in the ground almonds and 1 TBSP water and blend for 2-3 minutes until the ingredients have come together in to a dough OR when the mixture has become sticky enough to roll in to balls
Using clean hands, roll the dough in to small edible balls and place on to a baking sheet
Continue until you have used all the mixture
Place in to the freezer for 20 minutes
Whilst they are in the freezer and using a bain marie (simmering water in a pan, with a heatproof glass bowl resting, but not touching the water) melt cacao butter in to the bowl and add in your maple syrup and vanilla
Stir and combine
Take off the heat and allow it to rest for 2-3 minutes
Take your balls out of the freezer and holding the ball half way, dunk it in to the sweet cacao and place it (dough side) back on to the baking sheet
Continue until you have done all the balls and then start again from the beginning doing a second layer and then a third if needed (you want the topping to be as white as possible!)
Add on to each ball the rolled goji berries- ⅔- and your leaves (I chop mint leaves in to smaller ones and decorate with one or two little leaves)
Place back in to the freezer to fully set for 30 minutes before bringing out and serving (allow them 20 minutes out of the freezer before serving)
You can keep these in the fridge for up to 1 month or in the freezer for up to 3 months
Notes
It is very important that you put the balls in to the freezer at the beginning as this will help the cacao to set as soon as it's touched the ball.
Recipe by at https://thelowcarbkitchen.co.uk/christmas-pudding-energy-balls-raw-and-vegan/