Uncooking Experiments: Raw Cinnamon Almond Truffles

Pinjing — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 15:54:06 +0000

These are probably the healthiest and tastiest truffles I’ve made (eaten); I’ve been trying to cut out refined sugars for a long time and while I occasionally enjoy a calorie-laden sugar bomb, my everyday desserts nowadays tend towards the more wholesome and natural.

These truffles (given that you have the proper tools and ingredients) are easy to make, satisfying, healthy and delicious and contain no refined sugars and are vegan and gluten-free. They come together in a matter of minutes and can be enjoyed right away (as opposed to traditional ganache-based truffles). If you enjoy Lara bars, this recipe is for you.

Raw Cinnamon Almond Truffles
FromThe Friendly Kitchen

Makes 18 truffles

What you’ll need:

1 cup raw almonds, unsoaked
1/2 cup Medjool dates, pitted
4 Tablespoons cocoa powder or raw cacao powder
2 Tablespoons organic Goji berries
4 Tablespoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup water

The procedure:

In a food processor, combine almonds, dates, cocoa powder, Goji berries, and vanilla. Hold down the machine to steady it and plug up your ears because it will be LOUD. With the processor running, slowly add water a little bit at a time until the “dough” becomes a bit sticky and will hold its shape when rolled into a ball.

Place the cinnamon in a shallow bowl. Roll small amounts of the truffle dough in your hands into small balls 1″ wide. Roll the dough in the cinnamon, making sure to coat the entire surface. Enjoy immediately or place in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

As you can see, my truffles aren’t exactly smooth (my mini food-processor is on its last legs), but I quite enjoy the chunky bits of almonds (give it a nice texture). Yummy nonetheless.

Christmas Cookies For Halloween: Chocolate Ginger Cookies

Pinjing — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 20:57:51 +0000

Lately I was thinking about how I used to bake cookies for my friends in college whenever the holidays came around; then I realized that there’s nothing stopping me from doing it now . . . all it takes is some planning and a good travel-proof recipe. I consulted my tattered copy of Martha Stewart’s Holiday Cookies magazine (from 2005?) and decided on her Chocolate Ginger Cookie recipe.

Instead of cutting them out in autumnal acorn and leaf shapes, I decided to use my long-neglected halloween cookie cutters and decorate them in orange-tinted royal icing. These cookies are crisp, spicy with a slight hint of cocoa and molasses. A great holiday cookie that stands up well for mailing.

The recipe can be found on Martha Stewart’s site (you could spend hours browsing all the cookie recipes she has on there), but I’ve reprinted it here for convenience.

Chocolate Ginger Cookies
Source: Martha Stewart’s Holiday Cookies
Makes 4 dozen.

What you’ll need:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup packed dark-brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup dark unsulfured molasses
1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
Sanding sugar, for sprinkling

The procedure:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. Whisk together flour, cocoa, spices, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.

Cream butter and brown sugar on medium speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add egg, molasses, and grated ginger; mix until combined.

Add flour mixture; mix on low speed until just combined.

Halve dough; flatten into two disks. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate 1 hour. Transfer disks, one at a time, to a lightly floured surface; roll out to 1/4 inch thick. (If dough gets soft, freeze until firm.) Use 3-inch acorn or leaf cookie cutters to make shapes; place 1 inch apart on sheets. Refrigerate until firm, about 20 minutes.

Score designs with a knife; sprinkle with sanding sugar. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until cookies are firm, 11 to 13 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.

I omitted the sanding sugar and opted for decorating them with a royal icing that I spiked with some drops of orange food coloring. I used Baking911′s Safe Royal Icing recipe.

Too Much Food » cinnamon

Uncooking Experiments: Raw Cinnamon Almond Truffles

Christmas Cookies For Halloween: Chocolate Ginger Cookies