Easter (or Ostern) is a big deal in Germany. There are Easter specials and corresponding displays in every store, just about everything closes over the holiday weekend, residential windows show off Easter decorations (like branches hung with decorated eggs), church bells ring, and there’s tons of chocolate!
As a slightly healthier alternative to all the Easter chocolate (which is fantastic… but sometimes a bit too much), I made a couple batches of bliss balls – although I’m calling them Glückseligkeit Bällchen in keeping with current surroundings and because I love the word Bällchen 🙂
I followed the recipe below as written for one batch (the ones coated in cocoa and chopped almonds in the image at right) and switched in shredded coconut for some of the ground almonds in the second batch (the coconut covered ones). I also used dried cranberries in addition to the dates in the coconut Bällchen.
These are easy to make (especially with a food processor) and the recipe is easy to adapt to whatever nuts or dried fruit are in the cupboard. While they are sweet and chocolate-y, they’re also full of fibre (thanks to the dates) and protein (thanks to the almonds).
Have a blissful Easter! Frohe Ostern!
Glückseligkeit Bällchen mit Kakao und Mandeln
(Cocoa almond Bliss Balls)
Makes about a 18 balls. They keep beautifully in the freezer for a few months – just wrap in waxed paper and tuck into a ziptop bag.
Ingredients
- 125g (about 20) dried dates, pitted
- 125g (1 cup) ground almonds
- 2 tsp honey
- 1 tsp oil (coconut, canola, or another neutral variety)
- 2 tsp cocoa
- 2 tsp water (reserved from soaking dates)
- cocoa, coconut, chopped nuts, or a combination for coating balls
Method
- Soak dates in warm water for 20 minutes; drain dates (reserving some of the soaking water) and chop into small pieces
- Combine chopped dates, ground almonds, honey, oil, and cocoa; add water as necessary to make a thick mixture that comes away from the sides of the bowl and forms a moldable paste
- This is easiest with a food processor, but totally possible with a wooden spoon and a bit of muscle
- Using your hands, roll teaspoon-sized globs of the mixture into balls; cover with cocoa powder, chopped nuts, or shredded coconut
- Refrigerate for at least an hour to allow Bällchen to firm up