Tasty, easy, easier on dietary restrictions than the chocolate-and-heavy-cream sort.
ONE: mac nuts, pepitas, dates, walnuts
1 cup walnuts
1/2 cup pepitas
1/2 cup macadamias
1.25 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
2 cups pitted dates
2 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup cocoa powder
Buzz walnuts, pepitas, mac nuts and 1 cup coconut until finely crumbled. Add dates, oil, salt and vanilla, and buzz till it looks like wet sand. Roll into tbsp balls. Roll in cocoa and last coconut. Lay on a parchment lined tray and freeze at least 30 mins. Serve room temp. Makes 20.
TWO: figs, apricots, almonds, spices
http://altonbrown.com/sugarplum-recipe/
6 ounces slivered almonds, toasted
4 ounces dried plums
4 ounces dried apricots
4 ounces dried figs
Whizz all this into bits but not paste in the processor. Then mix in
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon anise seeds
1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
Pinch of kosher salt
1/4 cup honey
Make into wee balls (makes 80 he claims, i got more like 40), lay out on parchment, and roll in:
1 cup coarse sugar
Plus bonus recipe for booze (Rudolph’s Nose):
2.5 cups Ransom Old Tom
1/3 cup velvet falernum
1.25 cup cranberry shrub
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 oz Angostura
mix, strain into a pitcher, serve rocks. Makes 10. To make shrub: heat 2 cups apple cider vinegar and 2 cups sugar, stirring till dissolved. Add 2 cups cranberries or 1 cup unsweetened juice, 2 oz clove and 4 crushed star anise (seems like a lot of spice), and reduce by 1/3.