’Tis the season for chocolate truffles! These healthy Chocolate Hazelnut and White Christmas truffles are deliciously moreish, full of flavour and goodness from whole foods.

For lovers of white chocolate these healthy truffles will fill the void, using almond meal, coconut, and maple syrup you’ll love their sweet taste.

And for those who love a more traditional chocolate truffle you can’t go past these raw Chocolate Hazelnut balls. They’re vegan, gluten-free and all kinds of good.

Make a batch or two to share, gift, or devour yourself and spread some festive cheer this Christmas season.

Chocolate Christmas Truffles

MAKES 30

Ingredients

200 gram of roasted hazelnut meal (hazelnuts roasted or dehydrated, skins rubbed off and then ground to a meal)
80 gram ( ¼ cup) sweetener either rice malt syrup or maple syrup (the more you use the sweeter they are)
160 gram (2 cup) desiccated coconut
100 gram ( ½ cup) raw extra virgin coconut oil, melted
2o gram (or 2 heaped tablespoons) of cacao powder (or more for a richer dark chocolate)
1 tablespoon vanilla bean powder or paste

Method

In a food processor combine on low speed the hazelnut meal, sweetener, coconut, coconut oil, cacao and vanilla until just combined. You can also mix by hand, just make sure the coconut oil is in its liquid form.
Roll into small balls.
In a small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon of cacao powder with 3 tablespoons of desiccated coconut and use this to coat each ball.
Pop into the freezer to set. Store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.

TIP

These must be kept chilled or they will melt on a warm day. I often double this recipe to make a bigger batch (trust me, you’ll be wanting more)!

White Chocolate Truffles

MAKES 30

Ingredients

100 gram (½ cup) cacao butter, melted
100 gram (½ cup) coconut oil, melted
160 gram (½ cup) sweetener (Maple syrup or rice malt syrup)
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
50 gram (1 cup) coconut, desiccated
400 gram (4 cups) almond meal

Method

Mix the cacao butter, coconut oil, sweetener and vanilla together until well combined. If the weather is cool you may need to do this over a very low heat (or in a metal bowl over a pot of simmering water).
Add in the rest of the ingredients and mix well until combined.
Check the consistency of the mix, if it is not firm enough to roll into small balls add a little more almond meal.
Set as they are or roll in toasted desiccated coconut.
Pop into the freezer right away until firm.
Store in the fridge or freezer in an airtight container.

TIP

If you are feeling lazy, or would prefer, you can press this into a slice tin lined with baking paper and cut into squares once set.

With thanks to our friends at Food Matters for the recipes!