This post accidentally typifies my approach to new year's resolutions. I started this post and, indeed 2017, with the best of intentions - I would blog prolifically, persuasively, regularly. I would reinvigorate the Hannah-friendly twitter feed (and, to an extent, Instagram feed) with all the new and exciting recipes from my kitchen. I would try new recipes and post them with beautiful photos (thanks to a lovely, thoughtful book from my brother- and sister-in-law on photography for food bloggers). And here we are in February. Oh well. If the end of last year was busy and hectic, the start of this one has been busier. I enjoy that, but it comes at the price of regular blogging! That, combined with improvements we're making to the kitchen means that the usual rhythms of the kitchen have been disturbed along with a fair amount of brick dust.
Anyway, very much in the spirit of goof intentions, clean slates and resolutions, I bring you these delicious chocolate-peanut Snickers balls. In the bleak first days of the new year, with spring still a long way off, these sweet treats bring hope and, most importantly, chocolate! Born out of a desire to occassionally try something a bit different in the sweet treat department, these tasty treats are both virtuous and tasty. They're vegan and gluten free so a nice inclusive snack.
A chocolate shell filled with a nutty caramel and yet more chocolate. First time I made these I didn't bother to temper the chocolate shell and they worked very well. The extra crunch of tempered chocolate around the outside would provide a crisp contrast to the soft interior. Tempering chocolate isn't as terrifying as it sounds but if you're not convinced then just go with melted chocolate.
This recipe makes around 10 serious balls but you could split it up to make smaller, bitesize balls if you wanted.
Ingredients
- 180g raw peanuts
- 240g dates
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 100g dark chocolate, melted
1. Roast the peanuts for around 10 minutes in a preheated oven (around 180C) until the skin turns from red to brown. While the nuts are still warm remove the outer skin (do can do this by hand or shake them in a sealed tupperware until they jump off).
2. Blitz the peanuts in a food processor until they resemble breadcrumbs. Add in the dates and cocoa powder and continue to blitz. keep the food processor running and pour in the maple syrup, use enough maple syrup to form a dough.
3. Shape the mixture into 10 large or 16-20 small balls, rolling them in your hands. Leave in the fridge for at least 15 minutes to cool.
4. Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of water. (If you wish you can temper the chocolate at this stage - remove the melted chocolate from the heat and stir in a couple of extra squares of chocolate until the temperature of the chocolate reaches between 31 and 32C) Using a fork, roll each ball in the chocolate then place on a covered baking sheet to cool.