Date Truffles

I dedicate this post to Alessandra Mastrobuono-Battisti. I told you I would give you this recipe months ago and forgot about it. Apparently, so did you ;)

I am walking down the aisles of the supermarket until I get to the new organic section. Products I've never seen before, arranged in neat boxes, waiting for me to notice them. Everything is so nicely packed, I want to try everything!!!
Espacially this round transparent box with what looks like date and cranberry treats... Yummm

I look at the box. I look at the ingredients label. Yep, there are dates and cranberries in it... and some other stuff, not sure what excatly... There are about 16 of them in the box and the price is not very representitive of the quantity...

Screw this! I'm making my own date treats! And they are going to ROCK !!

They are really delicious!! Try not to eat them all in one sitting.
There's no sugar in this recipe. No need, the dates are sweet enough.

Date Truffles

makes about 40 truffles (3cm in diameter)

Ingredients:
350g seedless medjool dates (the moist ones), about 370g with seeds
160g Petit Beurre crackers
70g walnuts
80g dried cranberries
100g unsalted butter, melted
1 tbsp cacao powder
1/4 cup milk
1 tbsp dark rum

Coconut flakes to cover

Method:
In a food processor, process the dates into a moist mass. Transfer the dates into a large bowl, and process the crackers. Don't over process if you like things chunky. Transfer to the bowl holding the dates and repeat the process for the walnuts and cranberries (again, not too much if you'd like them to be chunky). Add the cacao powder and mix everything together.

In a separate bowl, mix the melted butter, milk and rum. Add the liquids to the date mixture  and work them into it, I find it easier to do so using your fingers rather than a spoon. Let it cool in the fridge for about half an hour, this makes the mixture easier to round up into balls.

Make balls about 3cm in diameter and roll them in the coconut flakes.
Keep in an air-tight container in the fridge.
You can also freeze them for times to come. They keep really well for at least a month.