While food hasn't exactly been top-of-mind recently, I thought it'd be time to bless you with a sweet treat. Specifically, these decadent peanut butter chocolate bombs that conveniently happen to be both gluten-free and vegan. Oh, and there's no baking involved.
I woke up in the middle of the night and dreamed these into existence, as I often do with everything on my blog. Lately I've been balancing desserts that are somewhat "healthy" but still taste just as good with the real thing that involves butter. Plot twist: that's actually a thing and those desserts indeed exist.
Last year at the training gym I go to (shout out MASE Training) we did a one-month no added sugar challenge. Straight up, it was rough. If anyone has ever partaken in something like this, your keen to the fact almost everything has sugar in it. Thanks America. The key is to enjoy natural sugars with care and avoid those added (aka processed sugars). I think that was really the beginning of me realizing dates and coconut oil were a comparable substitute for a pound of refined sugar in a dessert.
Let's not be fooled, your girl still rocks with Kerrygold Irish butter and refined sugar all day, but we must take things in waves.
So here's to these PB chocolate bombs for my chocolate dessert lovers (sorry Saman) that need a little less guilt in every bite, a little less maintenance to make them, and a moment to remember life is pretty sweet sometimes.
As always, may the inspiration found here find light in your kitchen.
XO//CATH
THE RECIPE
for the inside...
2 cups pitted dates
1 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup dutch-processed cocoa
1/2 cup peanut butter
3/4 cup water
1/3 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
flaked salt for garnish
for the outside...
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate, melted
2 Tbsp coconut oil
Place peanut butter, coconut oil, vanilla, dates, water, and honey in a blender and grind until smooth. Combine until a paste-like consistency forms, about 2 mins.
Place the "paste" in a large mixing bowl and combine all other ingredients (don’t touch that salt yet!) for the inside. Stir until evenly combined.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Take about 1 tablespoon of the batter and form into ball shapes (a small ice cream scoop is ideal for uniformity). Freeze for 10 mins.
While rounds are freezing, place your 2 cups of chocolate in a bowl with the coconut oil. Microwave for 30 seconds on and stir for the 30 seconds off. Repeat until chocolate is smooth and melted. You now want to temper your chocolate, meaning cool it down so the chocolate can mold properly. This takes about 7 mins from the final chocolate-melting round in the microwave.
Roll each frozen ball in the chocolate and wipe bottoms off to avoid a "chocolate puddle" from forming on the bottom. Place back on parchment paper and sprinkle with a pinch of flaked salt. Refrigerate for 20 minutes before enjoying — or dive right in while the chocolate is warm and glossy.