These carrot cake truffles double as both a healthy Easter dessert and a wholesome bliss ball!
Updated on March 26, 2018 with new photos
It’s 3pm and the mid-afternoon blood sugar drop is overwhelming. Or it’s 10pm and that sweet tooth is calling. Instead of reaching for a generic, saturated fat-laden scone from the coffee shop, or raiding the pantry for packaged cookies filled with who-knows-what-preservatives, eat these Carrot Cake Truffles!
Wait, what? Carrot cake… truffles?
Yup, that’s correct! We are beginning our Easter recipe collection with these Carrot Cake Truffles. Because carrots are related to bunnies which are related to Easter, therefore these truffles are Easter-themed. Right? -nodnod-
The moistness and tenderness of carrot cake and its warm spices are captured in the form of a piece of candy. Then dunked in chocolate. Or not. (But why not?) Cake and candy aren’t usually healthy, but mash them together like this, and you’ve got yourself a nutritious boost of energy. One full of fibre, protein, healthy fats, and vitamin A. And no, this is not some April Fool’s Day joke. I’m serious about the healthy-candy part.
These truffles are 100% good for you. Since these are essentially just made from fruits and vegetables, consuming the whole batch is only increasing your daily fruit and vegetable intake. Not that I did that… Which explains why the photo shoot for this recipe had to occur at night, under that nasty fluorescent lighting, because there would’ve been none left to photograph the next day. Yeah, they are that good.
Although these carrot cake truffles require a teensy wee bit more prep work than other date truffles, the extra work is sooooo worth it. Toasting the nuts and coconut releases its natural oils and makes the end product so much more fragrant. I highly recommend toasting nuts before incorporating them into any recipe. Plus, the smell of toasted coconut is to die for; if heaven has a smell, it’s probably of toasted coconut. I wish I could bottle it up and spritz my room with it; I’d have good dreams every night! To save time and electricity, I usually toast a big batch of nuts and coconut to use in several recipes. However, if you a) follow a raw diet or b) want to get these in your belly asap, rest assured that the truffles will still be délicieux with raw nuts!
On top of its health benefits, these carrot cake truffles are fancy enough to give as gifts. It’s flavour and uniqueness is sure to impress. Whether dressed in chocolate, speckled with toasted coconut flakes, or eaten bare and naked, these naturally sweet carrot cake truffles are irresistible!
- ½ cup unsweetened medium shredded coconut, plus extra for decorating
- 1 cup walnuts
- 2 carrots
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- A pinch each of nutmeg, ginger, and salt
- About 9 large, fresh, juicy Medjool dates, pitted*
- 1 tbsp molasses (optional)
- (Skip this step for raw truffles) Toast walnuts and shredded coconut in a preheated 300°F oven until golden brown. About 10 minutes but varies depending on your oven.
- Using a grater or a food processor, shred carrots. You will need about 2 cups. Use a thin cloth (ideally a cheesecloth) and squeeze out all excess liquid over a bowl.
- Drink the super sweet carrot juice! Yes, this is part of the procedure.
- Add walnuts to food processor, fitted with a blade, and pulse a few times until chopped into rough chunks. Add coconut, carrots, and spices. Process until combined; scrape down with a spatula if necessary.
- Add pitted dates and molasses and pulse until thoroughly combined.
- At this point, test the consistency of the mixture by pressing between your fingers. If it is too crumbly, add more dates or water or molasses, anything wet. If its too dry, add more coconut or nuts.
- Using a cookie scoop to measure, roll dough into round balls with hands.
- Roll finished truffles into extra toasted coconut (un-toasted for raw), nuts, dunk into melted white and/or dark chocolate (a handful of chocolate chips + 1 tsp of coconut oil, melted together; use vegan chocolate as needed), or sprinkle with additional cinnamon. Store Carrot Cake Truffles in refrigerator, that is, if you don't eat them all...
Leave a Reply