Calling Faith4u!!!

[Coonlie]

Your photos of the chocolate caramel balls and the caramels looked wonderful! I've been trying to figure out a good recipe for caramels and wonder if you'd be willing to share your recipe?

Thanks!

[Carmella]

Hi Coonlie!

Haven't seen you in a while (or maybe it's just me not looking in the right places! lol)

Obviously, I'm not Faith4u but I just had to make sure you didn't miss this gem of a recipe. These are to live for!

You can either make just the caramel part or make them as little turtles.

http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w281/Carmella_Soleil/Raw%20Desserts/Chocolate%20Treats/TurtlesTopW.jpg

Turtle Truffles, Chewy Caramels, and Chocolate or Carob Fudge
By Cherie Soria
Recipe posted in Living Light's February 2007 Newsletter

Makes about 2 1/2 dozen truffles.

Chewy Caramel
1 cup pitted dates, chopped
1 cup pine nuts, minced
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chocolate or Carob Fudge
3 tablespoons coconut oil
2/3 cup pitted dates
1/3 cup seedless raisins or dried pitted cherries
dash cinnamon
3/8 cup cocoa powder or carob powder

Garnish for Turtle Truffes
1/2 cup perfect pecan halves

1. To make the Chewy Caramel, combine dates, pine nuts, and vanilla in a food processor and process until smooth. Form into small squares to serve as Chewy Caramels. Or, if making Turtle Truffles, place the mixture in the refrigerator while making the carob or chocolate coating.

2. To make the Chocolate or Carob Fudge, put measured coconut oil in a sealed glass jar and place it in warm water to liquefy. Put liquid oil in the food processor with raisins or cherries, dates, and a dash of cinnamon, and process until it forms a smooth ball. Add carob or cocoa powder and continue processing until well mixed. Be careful not to over process the mixture and cause the oils to separate. The mixture should be smooth and tender, but not greasy. Press the fudge into a square shape and cut into small squares.

3. To hand roll Turtle Truffles, form small round balls of caramel using 1 teaspoon of the caramel mixture for each.

4. Next, form small round balls of the carob (or chocolate) mixture using 1 teaspoon for each.

5. Using your thumb, form an indentation in the middle of one ball of fudge. Place a ball of caramel into the indentation and carefully pull the fudge coating up around the caramel, covering the bottom and sides of the caramel with fudge coating. Press a perfect pecan half on top. Repeat until all truffles are formed and refrigerate until firm.

6. Truffles may be stored in the refrigerator in a sealed container until serving. May be frozen or refrigerated for up to one month. If desired put each truffle into a paper candy cup prior to serving.

Carmella's Notes:
As Cherie points out, be careful not to process the pine nuts and dates too long as the mixture will get REALLY oily.


I came up with the following delicious variation. Heavenly!

http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w281/Carmella_Soleil/Raw%20Desserts/Chocolate%20Treats/TurtlesGanacheRightW.jpg

Chewy Caramel Turtles with Ganache Topping
One batch of Cherie's Chewy Caramel (see recipe above)
Chocolate Ganache from Raw Food Real World

Chocolate Ganache
From "Raw Food Real World" by Sarma Melngailis and Matthew Kenney
Originally posted by RawYogini

2 1/4 cup maple syrup (I used part agave)
1 cup groud raw cacao
1 1/4 cup carob powder
1 cup coconut oil

Blend until smooth.

NOTE: It was so thick it caused my blender to over heat so split the recipe in half and do it in 2 batches. Pour into your favorite nut/date crust. I used a springform pan. Chill in fridge for 2 hours. Amaze your SAD family and friends!

Assembly
I formed the Chewy Caramel mixture into little balls and flattened them lightly.

Then I covered these with the Chocolate Ganache. To make it easier, you can spread a little circle of chocolate on parchment paper. Then put a caramel ball on top and finish covering with chocolate.

Enjoy!

[spicyfull]

RAWsome............

[faith4u]

Hi Coonlie,

Wow, isn't Carmella awesome???

My balls are actually a spin off of the recipe that she posted from Cherie Soria. The caramel part is the same as hers except that I used walnuts instead of pine nuts because I don't like them. :)

I have an idea for using them with some apples. It is floating around in my head. I will let you know if it turns out like I hope.

My teenage daughter actually liked the caramel part best and ate them up very quickly.

[Coonlie]

Thank you so much Carmella, and faith4u. I've got to try these soon.
My husband and I are going on a much needed vacation to California next week and I want to fix some treats and snack foods to take with us for those "munchy times" when we may not have access to raw food. One great thing is that beautiful, raw produce is abundant in California!

[Carmella]

Hey Coonlie,

You're welcome! And have a wonderful trip...

faith4u,
Thanks for the tip about subbing the pine nuts in the caramel. The ironic thing is that I can count the number of times I've used pine nuts on the fingers of one hand! I'm always subbing them with walnuts as they're soooooooooooo expensive, but happened not to this time. lol So glad to know that I'll be able to enjoy these decadent treats without going broke! lol

[faith4u]

Your welcome!!

Thank God for walnuts, eh??

I am so glad that I am not allergic to them. Then what would I do?:)




faith4u,
Thanks for the tip about subbing the pine nuts in the caramel. The ironic thing is that I can count the number of times I've used pine nuts on the fingers of one hand! I'm always subbing them with walnuts as they're soooooooooooo expensive, but happened not to this time. lol So glad to know that I'll be able to enjoy these decadent treats without going broke! lol