Chocolate & Dried Fruit Truffles

Chocolate & Dried Fruit Truffles

Sweet Treats for my Valentine

It was my turn to take goodies for our quilt guild meeting this month which I’d forgotten until my hubby reminded me right around dinner time the day before. I was panic-stricken and was tempted to pick up something from a bakery , but that wasn’t a good idea first thing in the morning. Looking around the kitchen, I realized that making these dried fruit truffles would be quick and easy to do. 

The original recipe called for almond butter but we meet in a nut-free facility, so that was out of the question. It also used only dates, but we have quite a crowd at these meetings, so I added all the dried fruits in the house (except prunes). 

These truffles are simply delicious, are dense and very filling. One is all I could have. This type of dessert is ideal for the winter time or for women who are pregnant to provide strength and energy.

Tomato Date Chutney

Festive Bengali meals end on a sweet note, usually a chutney of which Tomato Date Chutney is the most common.

Ingredients:

6 large tomatoes
8 dates, deseeded and chopped
1/4 cup golden raisins
2 Tbsp. fresh ginger root, cut in julienne strips
1/4 cup dark brown sugar, or to taste
1 small lump jaggery (gur)
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar (or white)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. panch phoron *
1 cinnamon stick
1 star anise
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

Directions:

1. Cut a shallow + on the base of each tomato and submerge in boiling water until skin peels at +.  
2. Allow tomatoes to cool, peel, chop and set aside.
3. Heat oil, temper panch phoron, cinnamon stick and star anise until seeds begin to sputter.
4. Add remaining ingredients and cook for about an hour on medium heat until liquid evaporates.
5. Serve warm or chilled at the end of the meal.

* Panch phoron is a Bengali 5-spice mixture which comprises the following seeds in equal proportions:

• Fennel 
• Nigella  (Kalo Jeera/Kalonji)
• Cumin  
• Mustard 
• Fenugreek (Methi)

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