Chocolate Date Coconut Truffles

These truffles are about as close to a sweet as you can get without turning on the oven. The whole thing is built on dates. Blend them with nuts and a spoon of cocoa, roll the dough into balls, and finish them in coconut. Nothing gets cooked, which is part of why they feel so friendly to make on a weeknight.

Medjool dates are the ones I reach for. They are large, soft and almost caramel-like, and they blend into a paste far more easily than the drier dates you find in baking bags. Dates are a fruit that has been dried down, so their sweetness is concentrated, and that is why a small ball carries so much flavour. If your dates feel firm, soak them in warm water for ten minutes and drain them well before blending. Otherwise the mixture can turn crumbly.

The method is forgiving, but a few things help. Sift the cocoa first so it does not leave little lumps in the dough. Once the mixture is in the food processor, stop as soon as it looks finely combined. If you keep going, the nut oils start to loosen and the dough gets sticky. When you knead it by hand, damp fingers make it easier to shape without it clinging to your palms. If it is too soft to roll, chill it for twenty minutes and try again.

These keep well. Store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week, and let them sit for a few minutes before eating so the texture softens a little. They also freeze nicely between sheets of baking paper. I like keeping a tin in the freezer for those afternoons when I want something sweet and small rather than a whole slice of cake.

For serving, a cup of tea or black coffee is the obvious partner, since the bitterness of the cocoa sits well against the sweetness of the dates. They are also good alongside a bowl of plain Greek yoghurt with some berries, which makes a lighter plate. If you are putting out a spread for guests, a simple platter of fresh fruit and these bites rounds things out nicely. If you are planning a heartier spread to go with them, Aromatic Lamb and Sweet Potato Tagine makes a warmly spiced main that suits a dessert table like this one.

If you want to make a bigger afternoon of it, these pair well with other snacks from the site. You might try Creamy Matcha Chia Seed Pudding on the side for a softer, lightly sweet dessert, or Chocolate Dried Fruit Truffle Bites if you want to play with the same idea using a different base.