Dark Chocolate Almond Butter Truffles are Dairy and Gluten Free

Dark Chocolate Almond Butter Truffles are one of my favorite desserts for dinner parties, holiday get togethers, and hostess gifts as they are beautiful as well as  dairy-free and gluten-free (and paleo friendly if you use a very dark chocolate).

Truffles Make a Great Holiday Gift

Truffles are super cute arranged in little cupcake liners on a colorful platter. You can also box them up in little gift boxes to give as gifts. Just make sure to refrigerate the truffles until it’s time to gift them.

Use Different Coatings for Variety

Get creative with coatings for your truffles– I use toasted almonds and cocoa here, but you can try any of the following:

• chopped toasted pistachios
• dried lavender flowers (see image below)
• dried rose petals (make sure they are the edible variety found with bulk teas)
• shredded unsweetened coconut
• chopped roasted peanuts
• carob powder 

Tips for Making Dark Chocolate Truffles

Set aside some time for the truffle mixture to chill in the refrigerator before forming into balls, perhaps an hour or so. If you need to leave them longer than that and the mixture gets hard, no worries, just set out at room temperature for 30 minutes and they should be ready to roll.

You’ll need to work quickly when forming the truffle balls, using your fingertips, until coated with cocoa/almonds. Do not try rolling truffles in the palm of your hand, or they will melt! Otherwise they are really simple to make.

Chocolate Almond Butter Truffles (vegan, gluten-free)

• Author: Chef Rachel Z
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 5 mins
• Total Time: 25 mins
• Category: Dessert

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 cup dark chocolate chips (fair trade recommended)
• 6 tablespoons smooth, roasted almond butter
• 4 tablespoons virgin coconut oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• generous pinch unrefined sea salt or Himalayan salt
• 1/2 cup blanched almonds, toasted and chopped finely
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder, sifted (fair trade recommended)
• 24 mini baking cups

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Instructions

1. In a double boiler or saucepan with heavy bottom, gently melt chocolate being careful not to burn or introduce any water into the chocolate. Stir with wooden spoon, heat-proof spatula, or whisk until almost melted, then turn off heat and let sit until completely melted.
2. In pot or separate bowl, add almond butter, coconut oil, vanilla and almond extracts, and salt. Mix until smooth and transfer to a glass or metal bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cool and firm to the touch.
3. Meanwhile, set out two bowls— one with almonds and one with cocoa.
4. Using a melon baller or small rounded metal teaspoon, scoop out balls of the chocolate mixture. Working quickly (without rolling between warm hands), roll 2-3 chocolate balls at a time in either cocoa or almond mixture. You may want to coat half of the balls in each for variety. Once chocolate balls are coated, you can form into neater balls with clean, dry hands if needed.
5. Place each truffle in a mini baking cup and place on a plate or platter, alternating almond-coated and cocoa-coated truffles around the platter.

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