I have a problem with chocolate. I love it. But it does not always love me. Eating too much of it makes my face breakout and my jeans too tight. I know because as an abstainer not a moderator (read more about that here), I’ve tested the theory. Really tested it. Like eaten a whole box of truffles by myself tested it.
But here’s the deal — every now and then, I want a little treat. And a treat, for me, is invariably something sweet. But most sugar-free treats taste like ass. Not this one. It’s a riff on Gwyneth Paltrow’s recipe for Raw Cacao Truffles in her new “Clean Plate” cookbook. Hers had some ingredients that don’t work for my food sensitivities so I switched out the almonds for hazelnuts et voilá – “Nutella” Truffles. They’re totally delicious. Even though I did mistakenly make them with Cocoa powder the first few times instead of Cacao powder
Cacao vs Cocoa Powder
More than a switch up in vowels separates cacao powder from cocoa powder. The latter is what we’ve all grown up drinking in hot chocolate. It’s delicious. And frankly, if use it in this recipe, the “Nutella” Truffles will taste totally yummy. But, they won’t be quite as good for you. Because cacao powder actually packs a serious health punch. When you read articles talking about how “healthy” chocolate can be, they’re talking about raw cacao.
Benefits of Raw Cacao
Raw cacao powder or nibs (which are also in this recipe) are made by cold pressing un-roasted cacao beans. This process removes the fat, but keeps the living enzymes that make cacao a powerful antioxidant. And we all know that antioxidants are really good for our health.
Here are just a few of the health benefits of eating raw cacao:
- lowers blood pressure
- reduces your risk of cardiovascular disease
- protects your nerve cells from damage
- boosts your mood
- cuts your risk of having a stroke
- guards against toxins
- rich in minerals
The key to boosting your health with chocolate, though, is keeping the cacao raw. Luckily, these Nutella Truffles have not only raw cacao powder, but also raw cacao nibs. Oh, and they’re fun to make. It brought back memories of Play Doh only this stuff tastes a hell of a lot better. So, what are you waiting for? Getting rolling.
Nutella Truffles
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup raw cashews
- 1/2 cup raw hazelnuts
- 1/2 cup pitted Medjool dates
- 1 tablespoon raw cacao powder
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt
- 2 tablespoons cacao nibs
Instructions
- Place the dates, cashews, hazelnuts, cacao powder, water and salt in a food processor. Process until smooth and forms a ball. This will take awhile so be patient.
- Mix the cacao nibs in by hand with a wooden spoon.
- Wet your hands and grab about a tablespoon of the mixture and roll it into a ball. Place on a plate or cookie sheet.
- Store in the fridge until you are ready to eat. **