ROSE CHOCOLATE “TRUFFLES”

Recipe by: Kayla Roche, Local Ventura chef and friend of Findings Market 

Makes 20

 

Because it’s February, we wanted to share a sweet and romantic recipe with you. If you celebrate Valentine’s Day, then these easy to make chocolates, which are lightly flavored with rose water, make a really unique treat for anyone you love. On the other hand, if you lament Valentine’s Day and feel it is overly commercialized and exclusionary, then you should still make these chocolates… because they are so damn good! 

 

 

The chocolate base is made with simple, clean ingredients and flavored with a touch of rose water that lends an interesting floral note. If you like the flavor, you can add more to suit your taste. We suggest a variety of toppings in which to roll the chocolates.The pistachio offers a nice, salty crunch. Raspberry is tart and surprising. Cocoa powder, on the other hand, is more mild but it allows the flavor of the rose water to shine through more assertively. Rolling the chocolates in a variety of all three toppings creates a beautiful presentation, although it’s perfectly fine to stick to just one or two if you have a preference.

 

Pantry

⅛ cup raw pistachios

⅛ cup freeze dried raspberries

2 tablespoons plus ½ cup Dutch process cocoa powder

½ cup coconut sugar

¼ cup virgin coconut oil

¼ cup cacao nibs

¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

2 teaspoons rose water (or more to taste)

 

1. Prepare your toppings 

Place the pistachios in the bowl of a food processor and grind to form a coarse powder. Transfer the powder to a shallow dish. Rinse out and dry the food processor and place the freeze dried raspberries in the bowl. Grind to form a coarse powder and transfer to a separate shallow dish. Finally, place the 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder in an additional shallow dish. Set aside the three dishes until you are ready to roll out your truffles.

 

 

2. Make the truffles

In a medium bowl, combine the remaining cocoa powder, coconut sugar, coconut oil, cacao nibs, salt and rose water. Using a clean hand, mix until the ingredients come together and are fully incorporated into a ball. Transfer the bowl to the refrigerator and chill for 20 minutes. 

 

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Once the chocolate has chilled, remove the bowl from the refrigerator. Portion the chocolate into 20 chunks and roll into tight balls about 1-inch in diameter. Place the balls on the prepared tray as you go. 

 

3. Roll the chocolates in toppings

Roll each chocolate in your desired toppings, setting them back on the tray as you go. Once all the chocolates are coated, place them, in a single layer, in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to one week.