Frozen Raspberry Dreams ( V + GF )
These aren't your typical Valentine's Day inspired treats. They aren't good for toting around or packaging up in a pretty box because they are best kept in the freezer and enjoyed frozen. I like to think of this recipe as the perfect celebration of comfortable love. You know... the type of love that is found snuggling in pyjamas on the couch, sharing a home-cooked meal, and watching Netflix while indulging in a sweet bite out of the freezer, love. Maybe it's the best kind of love?!
#ThingsThatGoWithCoffee
If you had a chance to watch my Instagram stories, you may have noticed i've been working on this recipe for a while. At first my chocolate dipped treats were baked and heart shaped, then they were raw and made with beets. However, round and raspberry ended up being the winning combination. If it is important to you, these are vegan, gluten free, and the only refined sugar is in the chocolate.
In true #ThingsThatGoWithCoffee fashion, I added some finely ground coffee to the melted chocolate. I used a naturally processed Ethiopia Chelelektu from Transcend Coffee out of Edmonton, AB. You don't need to include coffee in this recipe, but it really helps make the raspberry and chocolate flavors pop.
Frozen Raspberry Dreams (V & GF)
**makes roughly two dozen
Ingredients:
The Center:
- 1 cup Shredded Unsweetened Coconut
- ¾ cup Frozen Raspberries
- 6 pitted Medjool Dates
- ¼ cup Cashew Butter (for a PB+J twist you could use Peanut Butter instead)
- 1 tsp vanilla
- pinch of salt
For Dipping:
- 200 g Semisweet Chocolate
- 2 tsp Finely Ground Coffee (I used a naturally processed Ethiopia Chelelektu)
- *optional: 2 tsp Coconut oil (if melted chocolate is too thick)
- ½ cup Shredded Unsweetened Coconut
Method:
- Place pitted dates in a food processor or high speed blender and process until mushy.
- Add shredded coconut and blend until all date and coconut bits are uniform in size. Then add vanilla and salt. Pulse until fully incorporated.
- Scoop in ¼ cup of cashew butter and blend.
- Once the batter is smooth, add frozen raspberries and process until you get a gorgeous pink paste.
- If the pink filling is firm enough you can begin rolling into 1/2 inch balls. If not, place it in the freezer for 15-20 minutes to firm up.
- Once rolled, place balls into the refrigerator to chill for about 20 minutes.
- Gently melt chocolate in a double boiler. Stir in coffee grounds once it is fully melted. If the chocolate is too thick, add a few teaspoons of coconut oil to thin it out.
- Prepare a small bowl of shredded coconut.
- Dip balls, one by one, into melted chocolate, and then coat them in shredded coconut.
- Once coated, place in the fridge for 20 minutes or until firm.
- Transfer to an airtight container and store in the freezer.
- Enjoy frozen!
Unfortunately I don't have access to the highest quality chocolate right now or the appropraite chocolate dipping tools because i'm in the Bahamas, but I have been tuning into the brand new (and the very first!) chocolate focused podcast called The Slow Melt by Simran Sethi. If you have any interest in learning more about chocolate I recommend giving it a listen.
Fun Fact: my camera is being repaired in the shop so I had to shoot this recipe using my iPhone 7+. I am blown away by the capabilities of this phone's camera and I highly recommend upgrading your phone if you are able to—portrait mode is a total game changer. If you need further convincing you can read Jenn Chen's recent blog post: Why You Need the iPhone 7+
I hope you enjoy this recipe! It's really fresh and light. If you like the combination of chocolate and raspberries, you will be in for a serious treat.
Oh, and happy Valentine's Day! Xoxo