Sugar-free Hot Cross Bun Truffles

Chocolate at Easter time is such a given, as are the traditional hot cross buns. Combining the two in a bite-sized truffle is a fun and indulgent way to enjoy a treat these holidays. Dairy-free,  sugar-free, vegan and Paleo.  

A few months ago, as I was brainstorming recipe ideas for the March issue of Nourish Magazine, a simple google search for Easter hot cross bun truffles uncovered a number of good-looking but sugar-laden recipes that also contained dairy. I wanted mine to be different, so I got to work and made these.

See also: Natural Dye Easter Eggs

They ended up looking really cute, especially when served up on this Bed Bath N’ Table cake stand – see giveaway below. When asked to do a blind taste-test, Liana said they reminded her of chocolate hot cross buns! My work here was done.

The base is made with blended raw cashews and vanilla powder – just on its own it tastes sublime! Recently I have found that many people with nut allergies are actually okay to consume cashews – best to chat to your health care professional to see if this might be an option for you.

See also: 77+ Easter Egg Decorating Ideas

When it comes to chocolate, I used  Loving Earth Dark chocolate – it’s a 2-ingredient number that’s dairy-free, soy-free and processed sugar-free but you could opt for a 70% cacao dark of your choice or go higher on the percentages if you prefer. Because the truffles are sweetened with a couple of dates, they mellow out the bitterness of dark chocolate.

Organic wild dried blueberries add that element of dried fruit to the truffles.

I tend to go for unsweetened varieties (some, like cranberries, have added sugar or fruit juice concentrate and sunflower oil). You can buy 100% pure dried blueberries online from many stores.

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5 from 2 votes

Sugar-free Hot Cross Bun Truffles

When it comes to chocolate, I used Loving Earth Dark chocolate - it's a 2-ingredient number that's dairy-free, soy-free and processed sugar-free but you could opt for a 70% cacao dark of your choice or go higher on the percentages if you prefer. Organic wild dried blueberries add that element of dried fruit to the truffles. I tend to go for unsweetened varieties (some, like cranberries, have added sugar or fruit juice concentrate and sunflower oil). You can buy 100% pure dried blueberries from online retailers.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Total Time15 minutes mins

Servings: 8 -10

Ingredients

• 50 g raw cashews
• 50 g dark chocolate of choice, melted see note
• 2 Medjool dates pitted
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• Pinch ground cloves
• 1/8 teaspoon vanilla essence or powder
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened preservative-free dried blueberries or raisins see note

Instructions

• Place cashews in a small food processor or chopping attachment of a stick blender and process until a smooth “dough” forms, about 10 minutes, scraping down sides as needed. Reserve a pinch of the paste for the crosses.
• Add remaining ingredients and process for another minute to blend well. Using your hands, roll the dough into 8-10 evenly-sized balls.
• Roll out remaining cashew paste into think strips and place over each truffle to form the cross, press gently into the dough. Refrigerate before serving.
• They can be made about a week in advance.

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