Apricot & Cacao Fudge Bites

 I recently discovered that the bag of sweet apricot kernels had been open for some time and really should be used up. We made some sweet apricot kernel milk and then used the pulp to make these bites.

You can of course use any nut or seed milk pulp –  a good alternative would be almond milk pulp – but it may behave and taste slightly differently, so you may need to make some other adjustments.

Please ensure you buy Sweet Apricot Kernels if you wish to follow the recipe and not the Bitter ones, which are often used in traditional medicines, taste bitter (!) and can cause nausea and a whole string of other effects.

Sweet Apricot Kernels look like a slightly smaller almond and have a similar taste. They contain Vitamin E and Iron.

Cacao powder contains many vitamins and minerals especially magnesium, which many people are deficient in, and is a natural mood enhancer and energy booster.

Ingredients

1 Cup Pulp reserved making from Sweet Apricot Kernel Milk

3/4 Cup Soft Dried Apricots, chopped

1/2 Cup Sweet Apricot Kernels,*chopped

1/2 Tbsp Chia Seeds*

1/2 Tbsp Cacao Powder*

Juice of a small Satsuma

1 Apple, peeled and grated

1/4 Cup Cacao Butter Buttons** – about a dozen, melted (or solid cacao butter)

1 Tsp Maple Syrup (optional)

Desiccated Coconut for sprinkling

Method

Add all the dry ingredients to a food processor (including the pulp) and pulse several times to break up the apricots and sweet apricot kernels. You still want a bit of bite, the sweet apricot kernels need to be roughly chopped rather than ground, so don’t overdo it.

Add the rest of the ingredients except the desiccated coconut.

Alternately pulse and mix on low for a couple of seconds, scraping the mixture down if necessary, until the mixture can be squeezed together to form a ball. Again, don’t overdo it.

If it’s too wet, add some more chia or other seeds, or a few ground sweet apricot kernels. If too dry, a few more drops of juice.

Roll into ball and then in the coconut. Makes about a dozen, depending on size and how many times you ‘test’ it!

(This one’s for you, K!)

*http://www.therawchocolatecompany.com/

**http://www.pulsin.co.uk/

Copyright: Chris McGowan