Do you need an elegant dessert for last minute guests that comes together quickly....or do you need a sweet treat for an informal get together? These delicious truffle like bites will take care of both of those needs and satisfy the palates of everyone, from kids to adults. In fact, when I first developed this recipe about 3 years ago a friend of ours, who is not a fan of "healthy" food went crazy for these. Salt is so essential in baking to elevate the flavors and the contrast of the chocolate and sea salt is simply wonderful on your tongue. This dessert is also sugar free, as it is sweetened with California Grape Nectar, which is derived from wine grapes. The flavours in the grape nectar pair so well with the figs, both ingredients that are cultivated in the same region. These of course are no bake but you need to factor in the time it takes for the chocolate coating to firm up in the refrigerator. Make sure you sprinkle the sea salt on the truffles before the chocolate has fully firmed up or it will just roll off. Sprinkle too soon and the sea salt will just disappear into the chocolate coating.
Place all of the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until fairly smooth, yet leaving little chunks of walnut and fig still visible. You don't want it to be so smooth that it becomes a paste. It should still have texture to it.
Place the fig walnut mixture in a medium bowl and form the mixture into uniform balls. The balls will be a bit wet/oily, but don't worry, it's just from the oils coming out of the walnuts. Place the balls on a wax paper lined plate and place in the refrigerator to firm up for about 15 minutes.
While the balls firm up a bit, melt the chocolate and coconut oil over very low heat in a saucepan. Once melted, roll each ball one by one in the chocolate. Use a fork and a spoon to roll and cover the balls completely. Allow the excess chocolate to drip off the balls and then place the balls on a wax paper lined plate/cookie sheet.
Place in the refrigerator again to firm up for about 10-15 minutes. Just before they fully firm up(they will still be a bit glossy) sprinkle the tops with the coarse grey sea salt. Place back in the refrigerator for another 15 minutes or so or until the chocolate fully firms up.
Ingredients
Directions
Place all of the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until fairly smooth, yet leaving little chunks of walnut and fig still visible. You don't want it to be so smooth that it becomes a paste. It should still have texture to it.
Place the fig walnut mixture in a medium bowl and form the mixture into uniform balls. The balls will be a bit wet/oily, but don't worry, it's just from the oils coming out of the walnuts. Place the balls on a wax paper lined plate and place in the refrigerator to firm up for about 15 minutes.
While the balls firm up a bit, melt the chocolate and coconut oil over very low heat in a saucepan. Once melted, roll each ball one by one in the chocolate. Use a fork and a spoon to roll and cover the balls completely. Allow the excess chocolate to drip off the balls and then place the balls on a wax paper lined plate/cookie sheet.
Place in the refrigerator again to firm up for about 10-15 minutes. Just before they fully firm up(they will still be a bit glossy) sprinkle the tops with the coarse grey sea salt. Place back in the refrigerator for another 15 minutes or so or until the chocolate fully firms up.