Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and that means our home will be filled with chocolate. This may sound like a good thing to most people, but most people aren’t a must-eat-the-entire-box-in-one-sitting-type of chocoholic like I am. Honestly, if there is chocolate in the house it will be gone in one go. This has made my quest for high quality, healthier chocolate alternatives a serious part of my life.
There are many great vegan chocolate brands out there with beautifully packaged truffles and treats, but they are also as expensive as they are decadent, so I started to make my own. I failed horribly at first, but after a few rounds of homemade chocolate bars and truffles I think I have this amateur chocolateur-thing down pat.
Valentine’s Day this year will include these goji berry-coated chocolate truffles as a rich and decadent pre-dinner dessert. My pre-dinner you ask? Well, because ir’s Valentines Day and I am an adult, and I want dessert first… how’s that for a mature train of thought?
I’m using coconut milk to add a milk chocolate flavor to the dark chocolate chips—milk chocolate is the better of the chocolate flavours, right? To give them some depth I love to coat them in ground goji berries. The goji berries add a sweeter dark chocolate flavor, but also a pretty pinkish red tone perfect for V Day celebrations. Homemade vegan chocolate truffles with a side of vegan ice cream? Yes Please!
- 1¼ cup dark vegan chocolate chips
- ½ cup full fat coconut milk, fat separated
- ¼ cup cacao powder, matcha powder, finely ground goji berries, finely ground pistachios or finely ground hazelnuts for coating
- optional:
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- In a double boiler, place chocolate chips and melt.
- Once chips are melted add coconut milk to doubler boiler and whisk.
- Continue whisking until completely incorporated, creamy and smooth.
- Add vanilla, if using (optional) and mix well.
- Remove chocolate mixture from the boiler and place in the fridge to set uncovered for 2-3 hours.
- Using a knife, test to see if chocolate has set, it should be almost solid.
- Once firm, prepare a small dish of preferred coating for rolling.
- Use a tablespoon, scoop out small balls from the now firm chocolate.
- Use your hands to roll the chocolate into balls, working quickly.
- Roll in coating of choice and set on a parchment paper-lined dish.
- Place back into the fridge or freezer for another 1-2 hours minimum to set.
- Remove from fridge or freezer & enjoy.
Kleanthis says:
Very nice recipe and very nice website. Do you think it will be all right if I use walnuts instead of pistacios or hazelnuts?