Homemade Chocolate Truffles with Dried Cherries and Dates
- 2 Minutes Read
Martha M. Henze, MPH, MS, RDN - Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Global Public Health Epidemiologist
Homemade chocolate truffles sound decadent and you may wonder why this recipe is featured as part of a weight loss blog. Even when it comes to holiday desserts, moderation and variety is my motto. The taste of even just one of these homemade chocolate truffles made with dates and dried cherries, instead of sugar, is so satisfying that you can fulfill your sweet tooth cravings by eating just one, plus there are many nutritional benefits of dates.
These homemade chocolate truffles with dried cherries and dates are the perfect decadent treat.
These truffles are quite high in calories and should be thought of as a special occasion healthy treat rather than something that should be eaten all the time. They do fit with the "total diet approach" of eating as recommended by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The total diet approach emphasizes that all foods, in appropriate amounts, can be incorporated into a healthy diet.
Bottom line:
For a healthy lifestyle, one should consume a variety of nutrient-dense foods in moderation and include regular physical activity.
If you are craving something sweet, this truffle recipe is unique because the main ingredients are dates and dried cherries. It will not only satisfy your sweet tooth but is also packed with soluble fiber, antioxidants, potassium, calcium, and iron.
Nutritional benefits of dates
-
Good source of the combination of nutrients important for bone health
- calcium
- magnesium
- copper
- High in soluble fiber
- Helps decrease cholesterol
- Aids in preventing constipation
Nutrition Tip: Always drink extra water when consuming high fiber foods.
- Good source of antioxidants (polyphenols)
- Supports prevention of cancer
- Rich source of potassium
- Important for heart health and controlling blood pressure
- Good source of iron
- Helps prevent iron deficiency anemia which can cause fatigue
- Don't fool yourself though. If weight loss is your goal, be aware that one date contains 66 calories. Thus, if you eat four dates, which is easy to do, you consume 264 calories.
Eating in moderation
The flavor and texture of even just one of these homemade chocolate truffles made with dates and dried cherries instead of sugar is so satisfying. It is easy to sstisfy your sweet tooth cravings by eating just one.
Though this premium recipe yields 20 dried cherry chocolate truffles with one truffle equal to one serving which provides 82 calories, one can make smaller truffle balls. To create a consistent and smaller truffle, I dipped my small melon baller (1" in diameter) into the truffle mixture to create mini-truffles. Normally I use my melon baller kitchen tool in the summer when forming melon balls out of watermelon or cantaloupe. However, using this method, I made 40 truffles instead of 20, which also brought down the calories per truffle to 41 instead of 82.
Dried Cherry Chocolate Truffles
Yield: 20 servings (1 serving = 1 truffle)
Nutrition facts per serving (1 truffle = 17 grams)
Calories: 82, 4.4 g fat, 11 g carbohydrate, 1.2 g protein, 1.3 g dietary fiber, 18 mg sodium
Ingredients
- 12 oz. dates, medjool
- 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder, dry, unsweetened
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon table salt
- 1 1/2 cups walnuts, raw, chopped
- 4 oz. dark chocolate, 60-69% cacao
- 1/2 cup dried cherries, unsweetened
- 1/2 cup coconut flakes, dried, shredded, sweetened
Instructions
- Add dates, cocoa powder, vanilla, salt, and 3/4 cup walnuts to food processor. Mix for about 40 seconds. Let this sit in the food processor.
- Melt chocolate in microwaveable bowl on high for 90 seconds, stirring every 30 seconds. Add melted chocolate to the food processor (use a spatula to scrape all of the chocolate from the bowl).
- Pulse food processor until evenly mixed (about 30 seconds to 1 minute). Transfer mixture to a medium-sized mixing bowl.
- Finely dice the dried cherries (making sure they don't all clump together) and add to the chocolate mixture. Mix well. Cover and chill truffle mixture for about 1 1/2 - 2 hours until firm.
- While truffle mixture is chilling, wash and dry food processor.
- Prepare the coconut and walnut coating. In the food processor, grind the coconut and remaining 3/4 cups walnuts into a fine mixture. Remove from food processor and place on a large plate.
- Once truffle mixture is chilled, measure out about 1 Tablespoon of dough and roll into even balls. The goals is to get 20 truffle balls. You might need to slightly adjust the amount of dough you use for each ball.
- Dip each truffle into the walnut/coconut coating. You may find the coating sticks best if you gently press the coating into each truffle.
- Line up truffle balls on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Store in the refrigerator and serve chilled. Enjoy!
1 serving = 1 truffle ball
Tips:
60% cocoa chocolate works well in this recipe. However, you can experiment with different levels of dark chocolate to find one that works best for the sweetness you prefer.
If you don't care for coconut, these truffles are great without any coating.
You can make smaller truffle balls, which I suggested above, if you prefer. Just update the Total Servings with the final number so that the calories and nutrition are accurate.
This recipe (found under the name: dried cherry chocolate truffles) is one of 200+ dietitian approved recipes that will be available with the Premium membership this winter.
Foods & Recipes->Chocolate
Dec 6, 2019
