Chocolate covered salted date and peanut truffles

I love dates, both as a snack and to use in baking. However, I don't own a food processor so that can be a little bit problematic seeing as most recipes involves making a paste out of the dates, so imagine my joy when i found out that you can buy finished date paste!

So with my newly discovered date paste I made these delicious chocolate covered date and peanut butter trufflels. They are seasoned with sea salt and taste just like snickers bars! They are super easy, only 5 ingredients, but do take some time to make. Recipe below :)

Ingredients:

16 medjool dates, pitted. (or the date paste that i found at my local middle eastern store, see photo below)
1/2 -1 teaspoon sea salt (for the dough and topping)
Peanut butter, as much as you like, I used crunchy but creamy also works
65 g dark chocolate, melted (any kind works, normal, vegan or sugar free, it all depends on how healthy you want them to be)
1,5 tablespoon coconut oil

Directions:

1. Place the pitted dates in the food processor and blend until it becomes a dough/paste. If the dough is too dry, add 1 tsp warm water and mix again. Be careful not to add too much water or it will be hard to form them into balls later on! Add the sea salt and mix again. 

if you are using store-bought date paste, then simply cut the paste/dough into small squares, place into a bowl and add 1 tbs warm water (or more if needed) and use your hands to make a dough. Add the sea salt and mix again.

2. Scoop out with a spoon or form small balls with your hands and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Place in freezer for approximately 20-30 minutes.

3. Remove the balls from the freezer and with the help of a teaspoon, cover the top of the balls with peanut butter. If the peanut butter is too hard/stiff, you can heat it up the microwave and then drizzle it over the balls with a spoon. Place the balls back in the freezer for another 15-20 minutes or until the peanut butter has formed a "semi-firm shell".

4. Melt the chocolate and 1,5 tbs coconut oil in a heat resistant bowl over a pot with boiling water or in the microwave. 

5. Remove the balls from the freezer and dip them into the chocolate so that they are completely covered. Place back onto the baking sheet and top with some sea salt. Place them back in the freezer for 30 minutes.

6. Voilà, ready to serve! The truffles can be stored in the fridge for 1 week or in the freezer for 2-3 weeks. Mine where gone in 2 days...

Next time i make these, I'm thinking of switching the chocolate to a sugar free chocolate and maybe add some chocolate soy protein to the date paste to make them less sweet and a yummy and healthy protein ball.