I was watching “Paula’s Home Cooking” on The Food Network channel the other day, and Paula showed how to make Chocolate Covered Potato Eggs (for Easter). Her recipe had a white filling and inspired this chocolate truffle recipe with walnuts I just created. My favorite See’s Easter egg has a chocolate cream and walnut filling, therefore, this is what I made today. I added cocoa powder and walnuts; substituted stevia and agave syrup for the powdered sugar; and changed its shape into the typical round truffle. This is a healthier truffle recipe than most. I dipped some in chocolate and froze them; rolled others in unsweetened cocoa powder; and others in walnuts. My husband found it hard to believe it contained mashed potatoes. Give this recipe a try. It tastes great and is so fun to make!
Ingredients:
- 1 -1/2 cups left over mashed potatoes, with or without butter/margarine/or dairy-free spread (or mashed sweet potatoes)
- 1 stick butter (or Earth Balance dairy-free buttery spread)
- 1 teaspoon spoonable stevia
- 1/4 cup blue agave syrup (or regular, if that's all you have on hand)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup +2 Tablespoons unsweetened gluten free cocoa powder
- 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
- Additional unsweetened cocoa powder, chopped walnuts or melted chocolate (*dairy-free Healthy Sugar-Free Gluten Free Chocolate Truffles]*, or sugar-free stevia chocolate, if you desire) for coating
- Shredded coconut
- Chopped pecans
- Candied cherries for filling (if you wish a healthier version try Amarena Italian Cherries - candied in Amarena (sour black cherry) syrup, not the typical artificial ingredients.)
Instructions:
- Add all ingredients except walnuts into electric mixing bowl.
- Beat until creamy. If your butter has not been softened this may take awhile.
- Fold in walnuts using your dough hook or by hand.
- Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
- Using a cookie scooper (smaller than an ice cream scooper) scoop dough out and place on chopping board lined with plastic wrap, wax paper or foil.
- With hands coated with unsweetened cocoa powder, roll each into smooth balls.
- If coating with melted chocolate measure 2 cups of chocolate chips (makes about 1 cup of melted chocolate. (You may also roll in nuts prior to dipping.)
- Dip pieces into melted chocolate to cover; and transfer to a cooling rack to allow the chocolate to harden.
- Freeze for 30 minutes or so.
- Serve cold.
- If using walnuts, chop walnuts finely and roll in nuts.
- If using unsweetened cocoa powder roll in powder. (Cinnamon is also another choice and will not have a bitter taste.)
- Refrigerate left overs.
Tips
If you are on a gluten-free diet ensure to use chocolate that is gluten-free.
You can shape these chocolates into eggs for Easter, hearts for Valentine's Day, trees for Christmas or any shape you desire.
This also makes an incredible cannoli filling which I will post next.
When coating these in chocolate you may use the chocolate of your choice, but I chose milk chocolate as the filling is not very sweet.
When melting the chocolate do not make the mistake I did and use the microwave. I usually use this short cut successfully, but it did not turn out well. I had to place it in a sauce pan and add some half and half to thin it out. Either use a double boiler or a sauce pan.