Every year I go vegan for about a month. My strongest temptation during this time is desserts. I thought this year I would start my vegan cleanse by having a satisfying sweet on hand to combat my cravings.
This recipe from Paula’s newest book, The Food of Morocco satisfies my sweet tooth, and it is so easy! 5 ingredients, 30 minutes, and you have a tasty, vegan treat. Her recipes are often accompanied with a story of how they came to be. This recipe can be traced back to Toledo, Spain, just before the inquisition. The people of Toledo fled to Tetouan, an important refuge city for Spanish Jews near Tangier. From Tetouan it became popular in French cuisine by way of Paris. With the help of Paula’s book, it has now found its way to Hutchinson, MN. Continue its global journey…
Moroccan Desert Truffles:
I pound blanched almonds
1 pound pitted dates
2 apples, peeled, cored, and quartered
1 teaspoon ground Ceylon, plus 1/2 cup for rolling
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
The day before: Place the almonds in a food processor, and pulse until finely ground. Add dates, apples, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and ginger and continue pulsing until the apples are chopped into tiny pieces and the mixture comes together. Cover and refrigerate over night.
The next day: Shape the mixture into balls the size of a large marble. (I made mine slightly larger.) Paula suggests rolling the truffles in cinnamon in a bowl. I thought this made the cinnamon too thick, so I sprinkled a little on my cutting board for rolling. Serve on one of our trays!
These kept in my fridge for over a week. I’ll post more of my favorite vegan recipes over the next month. Please share any you may have!
