Date-Walnut Truffles

Initially after my marriage, I use to go on grocery shopping only once in a month and I use to start preparing the list from 2-3 days before….my list always include only the ingredients which are used in day to day cooking…but from the time I started blogging, I pick up so much food stuff that…. sometimes I am not even familiar off…and most of the time I forget what I have brought from the store too….most of the time I search for the recipe and sometimes try out something new….all thanks to blogging……which helps me in cooking out new flavour in my kitchen….

When I picked up walnuts, from the store…the one recipe which was in my mind was halwa, and then I thought of making pesto, and then finally ended up adding to the batter while making Brownies. After that the walnuts remained in the zip lock bag….untouched and unattended….

Few days back, we happened to visit a friends place for lunch and they are newly married couple. When I asked my husband what we are going to take for them, as we are going to meet them for the first time after marriage…..my dear husband in a teasing tone said…..look the food blogger is asking what to take and go…..can’t you think of something innovative from the food filled blogger mind….I know he is teasing…but I thought I will prepare something….Izzat ka sawal hain…..

I had only ½ hour left….so I rushed into the kitchen to check what all I have got….believe me I had nothing in my mind…just blank….when I entered the kitchen….When I opened the first cupboard….all I can see was ¼ dabbas filled with different types of dals….so I closed it…then I opened the second cupboard….there I found walnuts….peeking behind the sugar jar…..

I picked up the zip lock bag at once and then started searching for other ingredients which will go with walnuts to make something really fast….as I was in mood to start cooking…..I thought I will make something in microwave….Suddenly I remembered I have dates lying in fridge….rushed and picked up the packet from the fridge….by now my husband who was in front of computer….announced that the cab driver has just called and informed that he will be here within 20 minutes…..are you ready…? I said yeah…I am almost ready…

Looking at the two ingredients, I thought I will make microwave cake with dates and walnuts….but to add twist…I ran out of flour….within no time…I thought I will pulse them all together in mixer and make bars....While adding walnuts, I added little almonds to the mixer jar and then added dates…pulse for 1 minute…I got coarse mixture….I thought I will lay flat on the greased baking tray…but the mixture was sticky…..because of dates….

Then I rolled them into small balls by adding semi-sweet chocolate chips. As the balls were sticky…I rolled them into icing sugar. The whole look of the balls changed and they looked like snowballs….they were sweet, sticky, crunchy and yummy….I kept each ball in a paper muffin liner and placed them in a cookie box….before gift wrapping with a satin ribbon…I bought the box and showed to my husband….he was super amazed to see those white snow balls…and asked me what are they made of…..I said let the guessing game begin….

As the cab driver arrived, I was fully ready to go with my latest and instant creation…..Date-Walnut Truffles (which are vegan too)……When I reached the friend’s place and gave them the box, and when they opened it…I can see from the corner of my eye…my husband is more interested in tasting them….everyone tasted the truffles and loved them to full…when they asked me for the recipe….with a smile on my face….I said…recipe soon on my blog…..  and saw my husband who was pink trying to control his laugh…..and then soon everyone said in chorus said ooiye…oooyiee….and we all bust into laugh….

So here is the recipe, which accolade me as a food blogger….a no cook, no bake recipe….no fuss, no mess, a recipe which can be made in jiffy…just 5 minutes….a recipe which you love to make again and again….

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup Walnuts
• 1 cup Dates, pitted and chopped
• ¼ cup Almonds
• ¼ cup Cashews
• 2 tbsp. semi-sweet Chocolate chips
• Icing sugar for dusting

PREPARATION:

• In a mixer jar, pulse walnuts and almonds until coarse. Then add chopped dates.
• Pulse for 10 seconds and remove into a greased bowl (grease a bowl with 2-3 drops of butter) and add semi-sweet chocolate chips. Mix gently.
• Now grease your hands with a drop of butter and then start rolling into a golf size ball.
• Roll the balls in the icing sugar and let them get coated evenly.
• Place each ball in each muffin liner and place in the fridge for 2-3 minutes.
• Pack them into the desired box or just have them or serve them simply.
• Last but not least add your 'love' to make the dish 'YUMMY'.

Linking these truffles to Cook.Eat.Delicious - Desserts where the theme of the month is Walnuts hosted by Valarmathi of Simple and Yummy Recipes, Event by Raven of CookEatDelicious. These truffles are also going to participate in Signature Recipe Blogversary Event @ Cook-Eat-Burrp.

VARIATIONS:

• You can even roll the balls in unsweetened cocoa powder or coconut powder or shredded coconut or colored coconut flakes or colored vermicelli.
• You can even add finely chopped cashew nuts or roll in to them.
• You can even add peanuts, dry rose petals, etc.