Cocoa Tree Truffles
I sifted through many recipes online for similar raw 'truffles', 'brownies', or 'energy bars', experimented a little with my kids, and then pared it down to this very simple recipe. The cinnamon is a bit of a flourish, but cinnamon adds a natural sweetness. I liked that the four main ingredients all come from trees, and hence the silly name! All of the ingredients pass muster with most health-focused folks.
I was doing the project with two preschool classes, about twenty-six 3-4-year-olds. I wanted something they could eat right away. I measured out the ingredients beforehand. In class, I picked a few helpers to put each ingredient into the food processor and to help operate the switch (a very coveted position for this age group). After washing hands, each child took a turn rolling the dollop of dough I spooned to them into a ball, then into their choice of cocoa powder or ground almonds. Then they popped them into their mouths! Almost all of them loved them and were begging for seconds....Ground almonds and shredded coconut may have been a better choice, as some kids got so much cocoa powder that the first taste was bitter! All of this took well under an hour, including set-up and clean-up. It was so fun and easy (and messy in a fun way), that we did it in my older daughter's 1st grade class later that week. They were lining up for seconds and thirds.
This is a great basic recipe to experiment with. Try using other kinds of dried fruit or nuts in the mix: raisins, dried cherries, apricots, walnuts all work well. Leave the cinnamon out for a more traditional brownie flavor. You can add vanilla, mint, or other extracts. Make them with coconut instead of chocolate. I found similar recipes that add chilies. Some recipes suggest soaking the dates for an hour beforehand to make blending easier, and some omit water and call for a bit of almond butter or a small amount of oil. The recipe fills so many happy places for me: whole-food nutritiousness, kid-friendly, easy to make without referring to a recipe, and pretty enough to give to someone special. Cheers!
This is a great basic recipe to experiment with. Try using other kinds of dried fruit or nuts in the mix: raisins, dried cherries, apricots, walnuts all work well. Leave the cinnamon out for a more traditional brownie flavor. You can add vanilla, mint, or other extracts. Make them with coconut instead of chocolate. I found similar recipes that add chilies. Some recipes suggest soaking the dates for an hour beforehand to make blending easier, and some omit water and call for a bit of almond butter or a small amount of oil. The recipe fills so many happy places for me: whole-food nutritiousness, kid-friendly, easy to make without referring to a recipe, and pretty enough to give to someone special. Cheers!
Materials needed for a classroom project: food processor, recipe ingredients: dates, almonds, cocoa powder, cinnamon, sea salt, water (either pre-measured or bring measuring tools), bowls with coating choices (shredded coconut, ground almonds), a spoon, waxed-paper. An extension cord and wet wipes could be useful.
Shots from one of our batches, and the prepped ingredients.
