Chocolate Peanut Butter Delights

– raw, vegan, gluten-free, refined sugar-free, grain-free –

For some, there is therapy; for the rest of us, there is chocolate! Throughout the years, we have all learned about some of the health benefits of dark chocolate (raw cacao). I think that we can agree that by adding therapeutic ingredients into our recipes, we can have an award-winning combination that is remarkable, healthier, delicious, and downright soothing. I encourage you to hop in the kitchen and make this recipe…indulge your senses, treat your body and soothe your soul!

What I love about this recipe is how simple it is to make… ah heck, let’s be honest… what I really LOVE about this recipe is how my teeth effortlessly glide through the thick chocolate coating, meeting with the chewy peanut buttery core that just causes me to swoon.

Let’s dive right into this, shall we? I want to share a little bit about the ingredients so that you end up with the same results as I did.

Peanut Butter Varieties

Peanut butter is peanut butter. One would think so, but there are so many different types out there, and if you wish to use store-bought, we need to have a chat, because if you use a different texture than what I did, your results will vary.

Of course, there is raw peanut butter that one can make at home. Making it this way is entirely do-able, but if you are new to raw peanut butter, it tastes completely different then the roasted version you may be accustomed to eating. Personally, Bob and I don’t care for the taste of the raw version, so we purchase roasted organic peanut butter from the grocery store. They have one of those machines where you flip the switch and grind it right on the spot, which leads to fresh peanut butter that is very thick. It isn’t chunky in texture, but it isn’t creamy smooth either, basically, somewhere right in between.

Gelatinized Maca verse Raw Maca

Gelatinized Maca works best for anyone with a sensitive stomach or for anyone who has trouble digesting starch. And this is me, so I use this form of maca. The reason that it is easier on the digestion is that the starch has been removed. Because of this lack of starch, gram for gram, Gelatinized Maca is more concentrated than Raw Maca powders. Heating the Maca roots amplifies some nutrients, including metabolites and minerals. The disadvantage of this form of maca is that the same heating process destroys all enzymes and vitamin C content. (1) If you prefer to use the raw version and have it on hand, by all means, use it.

Approach this Recipe with Grace and Ease

Whenever it comes to working with chocolate, you want to be free of distraction. Take the phone off the hook (sometimes I miss those tangible actions, it gave me a great sense of “Do Not Disturb”), put the kids in the doghouse, the dog in the playroom with all the legos, and send your husband to the beauty parlor. You get my drift. But be prepared, when it comes to handling chocolate, no matter how delicate handed you maybe… it will land itself everywhere! The faucet handle, the wall, the floor, the canisters on the counter (how is that possible, I never touched it!?) It’s a true mystery as to why chocolate is so darn messy, so just deal with it. Think nothing if your spouse comes home and finds you licking the side of the fridge. It’s par for the course when dealing with this sweet, delicious, rich, happy hormone-producing liquid.

Well, I think I have kept you captive long enough. I know you are itching to pop into the kitchen so you can create these tiny delicious morsels. Please comment below and have a blessed day, amie sue

Ingredients:

1 cup natural peanut butter
1 cup packed Medjool dates, pitted
2 Tbsp maple syrup or raw honey
1/4 tsp Himalayan pink salt
2 tsp gelatinized maca powder
1 recipe Chocolate Coating, tempered, or non-tempered

Preparation:

In a food processor, fitted with the “S” blade, combine the peanut butter, dates, sweetener, maca, and salt. Process until it forms a dough.
- Be very careful that you don’t over-process and cause the peanut butter to release too much oil.
- If the dates that you have are really dry, I would suggest re-hydrating them in enough warm water to cover them for about 15 minutes. Drain and discard the soak water when ready to use them.
- I used raw honey for these, which was very thick.
- I used fresh ground peanut butter that was very thick and slightly chunky.
Using a 1 tablespoon-sized cookie scoop, scoop out even portions of the mixture onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Form into a half-moon shape and place it on the parchment paper.
Freeze for 30 minutes or however long you need.
Prepare the milk chocolate, according to the link above. Then come back here to create the final masterpiece!

Chocolate coating steps:

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, this is where the delights will firm up once dipped in chocolate.
Place the peanut butter center on a fork and lower it into the chocolate.
Drop the center into the melted chocolate and push it just under the surface of the chocolate.
Lift it out of the chocolate with the fork, and tap the fork several times against the side of the bowl.
Slide the bottom of the fork over the lip of the bowl to remove any excess chocolate.
Place the fork over the prepared baking sheet, and tilt the fork, so the edge of the delight touches the sheet.
Smoothly slide the fork out from under the truffle.
If you are adding decorations or garnishes to your candies, do it now, when the chocolate is still wet.
Repeat the process with the remaining centers and chocolate.
- If the chocolate in the bowl starts to get too thick, slide the bowl into the dehydrator and warm at 115 degrees (F).
If you made the tempered chocolate your room is moderately cool (60 to 70 degrees F) your candies can be left out to set, but if your place is warm, or you want to speed up the process, you can refrigerate them for approximately 10 minutes to set the chocolate.
If you made the non-tempered chocolate, place in the refrigerated after dipping.