Friday, 22 June 2012

Walnut and Coconut Fudge Balls

Following on from my recent reflections on Pinterest, I have a recipe today that was inspired by the photo boards.  The close up photos of Chocolate Covered Katie's German Chocolate Fudge Balls just made this healthy treat look so decadent.  And I had all the ingredients on hand.

I've made them twice now.  The first time I used some old dates I found in the cupboard.  They made the balls a bit crumbly.  I also used up some cooking chocolate in the first batch (below).  Next time I doubled the recipe because I knew we would eat them quickly.  I used fresher dates, a bit more coconut and left out the chocolate. 

The second batch (below) held together better.  I found them less intensely chocoatey.  We still loved them.  That is Sylvia and I loved them.  (E preferred his blocks of chocolate.)  It is the sort of snack I am happy to have around the house.  It doesn't bother me so much if Sylvia sneaks an extra one.  After a day or two they were even better with a slightly toothsome coconut and nut texture (a bit like golden rough).  Excellent for morning tea at the office or to finish off dinner.

Then I had to photograph them for the blog.  They are really boring to look at.  I had time and daylight and some colourful fruit.  They may not look as fudgy as Katie's photo but I hope my colourful picture will help to convince you these are so delicious you must try them.

I am sending these fudge balls to Amy for her Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, a weekly event for bloggers to share healthier recipes, and to Ricki's Wellness Weekends, an event all about eating healthy food.  And a happy winter's solstice to everyone in the Southern Hemisphere!

Previously on Green Gourmet Giraffe:
One year ago: A simple lunch of smoky soup and blueberry cake
Two years ago: Half Moon Café: Coburg’s best falafels
Three years ago: Novice Nutella cupcakes accompanied by guitar
Four years ago: The solstice fruitcake offensive
Five years ago: Winter Solstice Roast Dinner

Walnut and coconut fudge balls
Adapted from Chocolate Covered Katie 
Makes 10-12 balls

3/4 cup pitted soft dates (about 120g)
1/2 cup walnuts
3 tbsp dessicated coconut
2 tbsp cocoa
25g finely chopped chocolate (optional)
pinch salt (optional)

Blitz in food processor until well processed and looks like rubble or dirt.  Use your hands to grab a small handful and and roll into balls (about the size of a small walnut).  Mine kept in a airtight container for about a week.

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25 comments:

  1. Zoe22 June 2012 at 21:42

    Yummy! I made something similar at Christmas, with almonds instead of walnuts, and everyone would no believe me that they weren't full of fat and sugar! Delicious!

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    1. Johanna GGG24 June 2012 at 22:27

      Thanks Zoe - the original recipe said pecans and I had walnuts which are close to pecans but I imagine these would work well with other nuts, especially almonds.

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  2. Joanne22 June 2012 at 21:59

    I need to keep dates around more often so I can make treats like this! They sound like the perfect midday snack!

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    1. Johanna GGG24 June 2012 at 22:28

      Thanks Joanne - the are the perfect midday snack - and dates are great to have around - Sylvia and I have been snacking on medjool dates recently and I was wondering how they would go in the balls

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  3. Anonymous23 June 2012 at 00:13

    i love pinterest for that very reason! i can get sucked into the "pinterest time drain" though and end up spending an hour on there! those fudge balls look mighty tasty! perfect little "poppable" treat yum!

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    1. Johanna GGG24 June 2012 at 22:29

      Thanks GF happy tummy - surely time on pinterest isn't wasted if you find yourself eating these balls as a result :-)

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  4. Ricki23 June 2012 at 11:36

    These are just the kind of thing I love to have around the house, too! But what is chocolate rough--?? (maybe a phrasing I've never heard?).

    PS These would be perfect for Wellness Weekend, too--feel free to submit up to 4 posts a week! :)

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    1. Johanna GGG24 June 2012 at 22:31

      Thanks Ricki - it crossed my mind that they would suit wellness weekends - will link them up - will also put a link to golden roughs (had to look it up and I got the name wrong) - they are coconut filled chocolate that had a sort of crunchy texture that I loved

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    2. Ricki25 June 2012 at 08:48

      Great--thanks for linking up! The Golden Roughs description doesn't make it sound too appetizing, I have to say (though knowning me, I would have loved that as a child, too--or even now.) ;-)

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  5. Hannah23 June 2012 at 14:10

    Ohhh Johanna! At least, this time, you recognised the need for fresh super juicy proper dates ;)

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    1. Johanna GGG24 June 2012 at 22:37

      Thanks Hannah - I thought of you when I made these - I knew you would be tut tutting about me using the rather hardened dried dates but I had thought they were fresher until I took them out to make the fudge balls - am thinking about trying them with medjool dates if we can stop ourselves eating them fresh

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  6. Kari23 June 2012 at 15:32

    This is absolutely and entirely my sort of snack. I was sold even without the colourful photo :) It looks like you did a wonderful job with the making and the photographing.

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    1. Johanna GGG24 June 2012 at 22:48

      Thanks Kari - very kind - nice to know not everyone needs a pretty photo to convince them :-)

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  7. Cakelaw23 June 2012 at 20:16

    These sound really good, and healthy! Sylvia is going to grow up with a great healthy perspective on food. I have rather an addiction to unhealthy snacks.

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    1. Johanna GGG24 June 2012 at 22:50

      Thanks Cakelaw - I think Sylvia will grow up loving all sweet things whether healthy or not - not all of the treats in our home are healthy :-) but I do love finding a healthy treat I can give her

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  8. Caroline24 June 2012 at 04:14

    They look great. I could try them with cashews - I guess the type of nut doesn't matter that much - they'd be different but I'm sure just as good!

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    1. Johanna GGG24 June 2012 at 22:51

      Thanks Caroline - I am sure other nuts would work here - the original recipe used pecans (if you can eat those) but I had walnuts and I think cashews wold work too

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  9. Katie24 June 2012 at 16:39

    They look lovely and the perfect non-too-guilty snack. I bet they would be fab dipped in chocolate to make them into little truffles. Date and walnut is such a delicious combo

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    1. Johanna GGG24 June 2012 at 22:51

      Thanks Katie - I am sure these would be excellent dipped in chocolate - and now you mention it, I used to love date and walnut in nutloafs that my mum baked (the sweet kind) when I was young

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  10. Anonymous24 June 2012 at 18:10

    I love these tasty & appetizing balls!
    They look just stunning!

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  11. Hazel - Chicken in a Cherry Sauce24 June 2012 at 22:52

    Love the sound of these - a wonderful treat for tea time. They seem like the perfect truffle substitute (or could be turned into truffles?!)

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    1. Johanna GGG25 June 2012 at 00:14

      Thanks Hazel - I am sure you could call them healthy truffles - they reminded me a little of my grubs which I make with biscuit, condensed milk, cocoa and coconut

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  12. Anh25 June 2012 at 12:42

    oh, I can certainly imagine how these flavours are combined together! So simple Johanna! I am saving the recipe!

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  13. cityhippyfarmgirl26 June 2012 at 13:20

    Mmm, yum. Like a chocolatey bliss ball!

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