Ferrero-rocheresque Chocolate Balls – Healthy Energy Shots
This recipe is not a result of a travel inspiration, but a travel necessity. You know by now, how we love to go on long hikes and lone roads and walk miles to witness the lonely hourly-steam-spouting geyser in the middle of nowhere. This, sometimes comes with a unique but very real problem. Food. You need instant energy to do all the tough hikes. At the same time, its practically impossible to carry loads of food in your backpack.
Our solution was simple and practised around the world, Chocolates. But, every-time I bit into one, I wasn’t sure of what I was ingesting – the chemicals, the preservatives, the colours and the emulsifiers! So, we decided to come up with our own recipe. Something that was easy to make, had oodles of energy and nutrition and still was yummy like a store-bought variety would!
I almost always wing this recipe, and so should you (depending on what you like better than others). However, we have provided some directional measurements to guide you through that first time (believe me, there will be hundreds of times after, as well).
- 1.5 cups Mixed Nuts I use Pecans, Hazelnuts, Almonds, Walnuts, Macadamia Nuts
- 1 tsp Coconut/Olive Oil
- 4 squares 70%-90% Organic Chocolate
- 4-6 numbers Dates Depending on how sweet you want it
- 4 tbsp Puffed Qunioa Can be replaced by Puffed Amaranth, Puffed rice
- 1 tbsp Peanut Butter (optional)
- Roast the nuts on a pan (approx 8-10 mins). Transfer them into a food processor and blitz them into a thick consistency. Make sure you do not turn them into a paste. I usually grind them in a mortar-pestle. It takes time, but it comes out the exact consistency I prefer.
- Thinly slice the dates.
- Heat the Oil on a pan on low heat. Add the Chocolate pieces to it. Let it melt (but not burn). Take it off the heat.
- Take the puffed Qunioa/Amaranth/Rice in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave it for 10 seconds. Take it out, mix it and microwave for 10 more seconds (the idea is to make it super-crunchy). Test the output. If it is still soggy (sticky to your teeth), you might want to microwave it for another 5-10 seconds. If using Puffed rice, lightly break it into smaller pieces in a mortar-pestle.
- To the melted chocolate, add the slivered dates, the crushed nuts, peanut butter, microwaved quinoa and mix the contents evenly.
- Shove the entire bowl into the refrigerator for 2-3 hours for the chocolate to set and harden.
- Take out the mixture and roll into desired sized balls by hand. This should be done quickly or the chocolate will begin to melt due to the heat of your hands. I sometimes roll in a toasted hazelnut as surprise!!
Sharan
These look so tasty I am definitely going to give them a try! Thanks for sharing! xx