Since my bestie Rhonda introduced me to Froozeballs I’ve been pondering making my own version.
Problem #1: My food processor has been dead all year (it died when I made boozy hazelnut truffles on Christmas Eve – FYI Ten minutes later I smashed my iPhone…That was a bad day). Needless to say making my own balls hasn’t been an option.
After seven months of dithering over which food processor to purchase I finally got a new blitzer gadget recently and bliss balls were high on my ‘gotta get cooking list’. I came up with this recipe simply as my orange tree is groaning with fruit and screaming “eat me”, I was desperate to use my Equagold Premium Dutch Cocoa and after an over-indulgent shopping spree in Vetro, that just about required a second mortgage, I had lots of dates and nuts on hand. Et voila, Choc Orange Bliss Balls were born.
These are the ultimate moorish treat that can’t really do any damage and, I have it on good authority from my nutritionally-savvy buddy Tania that these tick the Paleo box. They are entirely natural, contain no sugar, just raw and wholefood goodness that’s pretty darn decadent (absolute foodie purists might want to sub the cocoa powder for cacao). I’ve got my creative on now: I’m already thinking what I’ll put in my next batch!
Lastly if you aren’t keen on a choc orange combo then mix things up: You could add coconut cream instead of the OJ and omit the zest (or add some boozy goodness like Baileys, Cointreau or Kahlua?). This is a super versatile recipe 🙂
Ingredients – Makes 30 Blissful Balls
1 cup nuts (I used half and half: Hazelnuts and almonds)
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup coconut thread/desiccated coconut
1 cup of medjool dates (pitted)
1/3 cup high quality cocoa powder (I use 100% pure cocoa)
3 teaspoons honey
1/4 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1/2 teaspoon zest of an orange
Juice of one orange
- Blitz the nuts, coconut and seeds together in a food processor until the nuts are smooth and crumbly, resembling large breadcrumbs. Note, if anyone is asleep in the house you might want to do this later coz the noise will wake the dead…
- Add the dates, cocoa powder, honey, orange zest and orange juice to the nuts/seeds and process again. The mixture will come together to form a ball. If the mixture seems a little dry, add some more orange juice or even some water (1 teaspoon at a time)
- Using damp hands shape the mixture into walnut sized balls. Place on a plate. Refrigerate for at least half an hour before serving so they firm up. Resist the urge to lick your hands clean (you know you want to).
- At this stage you can roll them in desiccated coconut or cocoa powder (they are good ‘as is’ though!)
- Last for a week in the fridge (good luck making them last that long!)
Have you made bliss balls? What do you put in yours? I’d love some new ideas!
