Chocolate Orange Truffles
♥Valentines Day is around the corner, time for some holiday recipes♥
Christmas 2011 was officially the first Christmas where I did not stray from my dietary restrictions. Usually, I tell myself; “Oh it’s Christmas” but then I pay for it for weeks afterwards until my stomach literally heals.
We had a delicious Allergy Free Christmas Dinner…and that is all I made…so even our guests had to eat it and they didn’t seem to mind. I made sweet things, indulgent things, allowed myself to eat them without guilt because they were made from only “safe for me and my family” ingredients…Happiness ♥
So when Christmas was all said and done, there was one thing I really missed… a Chocolate Orange!! I love the orange chocolate combination, but for some reason I only really eat it around Christmas time… I guess because that is when you see the orange foil wrapped balls (the ones you smash and then eat) on the store shelves. I told myself I would come up with a safe healthy alternative for Valentines Day, and these delicious, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Soy Free, Nut Free, Date Free truffles were the answer to my cravings!
Note: you will notice in the pictures some of the balls rolled in nuts. My Hubby made a request because he doesn’t like cocoa coating…seeing as how he’s My Valentine ♥, I made some that way for him.
I made a chocolaty orange gooey ganache like mixture on the stove; it was so good it almost didn’t make it to the food processor to blend with the sunflower seeds; in fact it inspired a completely different dessert These Amazing Tartletes
To top it all off, I am so excited to be entering these Truffles into Fork and Bean’s *I Baked My Heart Out! Valentine’s Days Bake Off* All entries must be in by February 6ths, and the 3 winners will be announced on February 11th!! Wish me Luck
- ¼cup apple butter
- 3T maple Syrup
- 2T coconut oil
- 2T sunflower seed butter
- 2T Orange Zest (likely 2 oranges)
- 2T fresh Orange Juice
- 4oz or 14 squares of dairy free chocolate (I used Camino71% or 100%)
- 1 cup raw sunflower seeds
- Coarsely chop chocolate squares into small pieces to speed up melting.
- In a small sauce pan combine all ingredients except for the 1 cup of sunflower seeds.
- On Med-Low temperature heat the mixture stirring constantly until all melted together and bubbly. Remove from heat. (Be careful not to burn the chocolate)
- Place the 1 cup of sunflower seeds in a food processor with the S-blade attachment. Process the seeds until they become a fine meal. Add the chocolate orange mixture and process until dough like ball forms.
- Scrape mixture in a bowl and set in the fridge to harden for a couple of hours.
- Use a teaspoon to measure out balls and roll in cocoa and/or chopped pecans.
- Makes 25-30balls
I shared this Recipe with:
The Wellness Weekend @ Diet Dessert and Dogs
Allergy Friendly Lunchbox Love @ Allergy-Free Vintage Cookery
Allergy Friendly Fridays @ Cybele Pascal
Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays @ SSGF
I remember chocolate oranges in my stocking at Christmas time too! I will have to try these and savor them with all my happy holiday memories. Thanks for sharing!
i love these.. apple butter chocolate and zest.. yumm!
Thank you Richa!