As I write this, I am snuggled up in an arm chair at my dad’s house, my comfiest sweatpants tucked into overly fluffy socks, while the scent of this morning’s waffles still lingers in the air. Looking out the window at the snow coming down, I have but one simple thought: I love the holidays.
While I wouldn’t categorize our family as “traditional” per se, we certainly do love our traditions. For my partner, it’s all about my grandmother’s apple strudel. For my dad, give him a cozy mug of cider, and set out the little wood log cabin that burns incense cones, and you’ve got one seriously happy man. And for me, it’s truffles. I got into making superfood truffles specifically for the holidays a while back, and due to popular demand, the batch grows bigger and bigger with every passing year. To keep things fun, every holiday features a new variety. This year, I’m doing a trio – a Double Chocolate, made with real cacao and cacao nibs, a Maqui Mint (from the recipe in Superfood Snacks), and a brand new Coconut Green Tea, which features matcha amongst many other superfoods. The Coconut Green Tea is pretty dramatic, and the newest truffle on the block. And, in the spirit of giving, I’m happy to share the recipe with you. Happy holidays, my friend!
Coconut Green Tea Truffles
These melt-in-your-mouth bittersweet treats are filled with high energy foods like matcha (green tea), cacao, and wheatgrass.
Makes 2 dozen
¼ cup melted cacao butter
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1/3 cup cacao powder
2 teaspoons matcha green tea powder
1 teaspoon wheatgrass powder (optional)
1 tablespoon coconut milk powder
6-7 large Medjool dates, pitted
2 tablespoons agave nectar
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
Pinch salt
¼ cup dried shredded coconut (unsweetened)
In a food processor, blend all the ingredients — except for the coconut – into a smooth mixture. You may have to stop the machine several times to scrape down the sides to ensure the ingredients are incorporated evenly. Keep processing until the mixture has formed a smooth large ball inside of the food processor, then transfer the contents to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to partially solidify.
Once chilled and pliable, remove the truffle mixture from the refrigerator. Place the shredded coconut in a small bowl. A heaping teaspoon at a time, roll truffle mixture into a ball, then roll in the coconut to dust the exterior. Repeat with remaining dough.
Truffles are best served at room temperature (they will become more solid when refrigerated, and very soft in extreme heat).
