Valentine’s Day obstacle #1: the box of chocolates.
Valentine’s Day obstacle #2: my absolute love for all things truffles.
Valentine’s Day obstacle #3: my habit (that I’m working on releasing) of reaching for food to deal with my feelings.
Are you feelin’ me on this one?
Valentine’s Day has landed on a weekday for the past 3 years which means Kevin’s out traveling for work and I’m left at home to celebrate the holiday of love with Pebbles and Lexy.
The last two years has painted the same picture – Leanne snuggled up on the couch with a good book, mindlessly sifting through a box of chocolates she purchased for herself earlier that day.
Last year, I managed to find a whole box dedicated to a collection of dark chocolate truffles. It was a bad scene.
There’s a thin line between mindful indulgence and mindless snacking for no purpose.
That box of chocolate truffles + Leanne snuggling on the couch, totally = mindlessness.
I wanted to change my pattern this year. I wanted to indulge… but mindfully. I wanted to still treat myself to chocolate… but not in such an unhealthy way, and not in the same volume.
So…
I’m trading in the refined sugar, artificial flavors and evening chocolate wallowing for a healthy approach to my Valentine’s truffle fixation.
Are you with me?
A bunch of you asked if these can be made without coconut milk and coconut sugar… YES they can! I redid the recipe this afternoon and came up with a new variation using 4 ingredients instead of 5. Check out the new recipe here.
To print, email or text this recipe, click here.
- ¾ cup coconut sugar
- ⅓ cup full fat coconut milk – see note
- ½ cup sugar-free strawberry fruit spread
- ¼ cup melted coconut butter
- 5 oz. semi-sweet, dairy-free chocolate
- Optional toppings: shredded coconut, chia seeds, sesame seeds, hemp seeds, goji berries
- Add coconut sugar and milk to a saucepan and bring a boil on medium heat, whisking continuously. Simmer for approximately 10 minutes, continuing to whisk, until mixture sticks to the back of a spoon.
- Remove from heat, stir in fruit spread and coconut butter.
- Cover and refrigerate overnight, for at least 8 hours.
- The next day, using a half tablespoon measurement, scoop out the fudge and shape into rounds. It will melt rather quickly as it’s made up of coconut so you have to move speedy!
- Place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Place completed rounds in the freezer to chill, just until the chocolate is ready.
- Meanwhile, melt chocolate in a double boiler.
- Remove fudge from the freezer and dip in prepared chocolate and layout on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Top with a sprinkle of coconut or other seed or dried fruit.
A bunch of you asked if these can be made without coconut milk and coconut sugar… YES they can! I redid the recipe this afternoon and came up with this variation. Check out the other recipe here.
This recipe is super simple. Plus – after you complete it, you’ll know how to make healthy(er) fudge… and I just know that that skill will come in handy in the future.
Here’s a visual of the coconut milk top I mentioned in the recipe:
Add the two ingredients to a saucepan, bring to a boil, and whisk your brains out for 10 minutes. Well, not your brains… but there is a lot of whisking involved.
This is when kids would come in handy.
The only complicated bit to it is waiting for the fudge to chill. Once that’s out of the way though, you’ll be rockin’ your way to strawberry fudge truffle town with 0 stops to unhealthy-ville.
These CAN be frozen for later consumption. If you’re like me, and having a tray full of truffles on the counter or in the fridge is just too hot to handle, bundle them up, stuff them in the freezer, and get on with life.
In addition, here are a couple of other Valentine’s Day recipes I thought you may like…
And later this week… we eat salad.
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{ 41 comments… read them below or add one }
Wow they look so good! I am all about 5 ingredients. When most of them are either chocolate or coconut something
You need to be my Valentine so you can whip a batch of these up just for me!
Oh man, these look fantastic!! I just made some vegan truffles for my blog and even though I have two containers in my freezer, I still think that I’m going to make these! The gooey centre is too hard to resist.
I don’t think you can have enough homemade truffles, Kris. Nope, no way.
Yum yum and more yum! My heart is fluttering!!!
Can these be made with stevia instead of the coconut sugar? Also, can you use raw cacao nibs instead of the chocolate chips?
Thanks soooo much!!!!
Hey Chris – I just posted a link to a second truffle recipe that I worked on today that uses medjool dates instead of coconut milk and sugar. I’m not sure the cacao nibs will melt, but you could try to use coconut oil + cocoa powder + stevia instead.
Thanks! I cannot have dates either, so I think I will try to make the stevia version!
Hmm well then… I have an idea for you! You could use coconut butter (do you know what that is?), coconut oil, cacao and stevia. I’m just guessing here… but 1/2 cup coconut butter mixed with 3 tbsp coconut oil, 3-4 tbsp cocoa powder and 1/4 teaspoon or so of stevia. Mix that together and allow to harden on the counter. Don’t put it in the fridge or you wont be able to scoop anything. Let it sit, then mold into balls. If you try it, let me know!
How much coconut oil/cacao powder/stevia do you recommend?
Leanne! This is dangerous!! I have ALL the ingredients for this… Including the can of full-fat coconut milk – and it’s even in the fridge for this exact reason (getting the thick stuff off the top)… Have you been raiding my pantry or reading my mind??? Either way, you’re magnificent and I will have truffles for V-Day!
That IS dangerous!
Oh yes I’m with you! These are not just your average Valentine’s Day truffles. They’re like loaded antioxidant bombs ready to release all their nutritional goodies! I bet they were fun to taste test!
That’s what I should have called them, Loaded Antioxidant Bombs! BAM!
I confess that I too am a truffle addict; these look divinely trufflish in the middle. Can you suggest an alternative to coconut butter – do you think coconut manna would work? Can’t yet buy the butter on my little island; coconut flour only just made its debut last week!
Yep, coconut manna would work for sure.
Forgot to mention, I posted a second recipe for these truffles using medjool dates instead. Here’s the link if you’re interested, Sarah: http://www.healthfulpursuit.com/recipage/?recipe_id=6041909
Hey Leanne, would melted coconut oil work for the melted coconut butter?
p.s. I’m using this homemade paleo raspberry filling as the jam for this! Thanks for the recipe!
http://detoxinista.com/2013/02/raspberry-almond-bars-grain-free-dairy-free/
Hmm I bet coconut oil would work, yes. Maybe a bit less would be needed. Did you check out my coconut oil variation that I posted today? Here’s the link: http://www.healthfulpursuit.com/recipage/?recipe_id=6041909 LOVE that raspberry filling. Hubba, hubba!
Wow this looks so simple to do & looks delicious! Thank you for this I will definitely try it. Your photographs are gorgeous by the way! Happy Valentines Day! :0)
Thanks Michelle! Yep, it was super easy!
This looks lovely and you are thinking just as I need you too – eating too much – too easily – but can you come up with a fabulous recipe for cacaco butter? That would be super cool!
Hi !
Where do you buy coconut sugar and butter??
Looks so yum I am a truffle lover for sure
Hi Melissa – I purchase my coconut butter and sugar from Upaya Naturals. You can find them at Costco now, too!
These sound amazing! Would this recipe work if you left out the strawberry or would you need to sub something else in it’s place? I was looking for a non-fruity version for my hubs.
Hmm wow, usually I’m not stumped when I’m asked for my substitution recommendations… but I have NO idea how you could approach this one… maybe nut butter in it’s place?
Hello!
I have been enjoying your recipes for quite some time and, as a fellow Holistic Nutritionist (Ottawa), I want to say THANK YOU!!!!
I am in awe of your work! The time and patience it takes to create recipes and then post them – crazy. So, congratulations and know that you are my hero
Hi Sarah – yes, it does take forever… it’s nuts! But I am in love with what I do, so I’m a-ok with it all. Thanks so much for your supportive comment
Looks delicious! Does anyone out there know of a coconut milk that is in a BPA free can that thickens like the above picture? Thai Kitchen has BPA linings; Native Forest is usually my go-to, but it doesn’t result in the same thick texture when refrigerated.
Hi Amanda – have you heard of Aroy-D? That’s what I use and it gets to this consistency. Here’s a list of BPA free coconut milks: https://www.marksdailyapple.com/are-your-canned-foods-safe-to-eat-a-bpa-free-buying-guide/
Thanks Leanne!! It seems the carton version is all natural & BPA free, but the canned version is 55% coconut milk, water, & a preservative with no mention of BPA status, thus I’m assuming the can includes it in the lining..
These look amazing! Wow!
oh these are luscious! The thought of them makes me drool. What a great recipe! I’m in love with these for anytime or the year. I will need to throw half of them in the freezer so I don’t eat them all at once. *drool <3
Any suggestions on what to use for those of us who don’t like coconut?
These look beautiful. I cannot wait to start (yes, start!) baking up chocolatey treats for V-Day today!!! These may just be at the top of the list now!
Wow, you must have had one chocolate-filled day! How’d the baking go, Tatomme?
oh crappity crap. Leanne, I misunderstood your instructions when making the fudge, or maybe took them too literally…
I’m now left with something that looks more like charred molasses
Basically what I think I did wrong was turned the heat on high, brought it to a boil and then KEPT it boiling on high, while continuously whisking. It turned black so fast that it was just too late to salvage.
May you please clarify what you mean by “bring a boil, whisking continuously. Boil for 10 minutes”?
gracias!
Oh no! I’ve clarified the instructions for heat on the stove top – should be around medium heat, just continue whisking until it sticks to the back of a spoon. It’s pretty crazy that yours turned black… it will get much darker but are you sure it’s burnt? Are you using a gas top?
Oh it burnt alright lol. It isn’t a gas stove top. Thanks though, it was my first attempt at making fudge so next time I’ll know better!
I replaced the fudge I fudged up for almond butter, coconut butter, strawberry jam, and ground chia seeds. It looks like it’s holding quite well as long as it stays cold. Either way, thank you for going out of your way to make amazing recipes for us and reply to your fans so promptly
Wow, so strange! I made this recipe twice and have had others tell me it worked out great. I love the idea of throwing almond butter, coconut butter, jam and chia seeds together. I never though of using chia seeds in this recipe. Sheesh! I guess there’s always next V-Day!
Hello Leanne,
I tried to make these the other day and they consistency was all wrong. I whisked for ten minutes while boiling at medium heat until it was sticky (it never seemed to burn). But, after putting them in the refrigerator overnight, the mixture was somewhere between caramel and toffee. Do you have a suggestion as to what I did wrong?
Thanks!
Great that it didn’t burn, perfect. Perhaps your fudge didn’t get cold enough? I put mine in the back of the fridge where I think it’s a bit colder than the rest of the fridge. If you still have it, you could try placing it in the freezer for a couple of hours. When my fudge was complete, it was easy to scoop out but had to be rolled quickly and thrown in the freezer. Once they were covered in chocolate they could be left out for a couple of hours with no issues. I think the issue was that it wasn’t cold enough for you. I hope that helps!