I love raw deserts and especially the little raw balls, which we call “voimapallot” in Finnish; Voima means power or strength. Easy to make and just sweet enough, these small treats make a delicious desert or a snack on-the-go. I needed to make desert for a dinner party tonight. I had “nothing” in my cupboard, very little time and I need to go to the dinner straight after an evening yoga class. So, these little treats saved the day, they’re waiting for the evening in the fridge (expect those two that I absolutely needed to eat immediately, just to make sure they are ok 😉 )

This recipe makes 20

125 g pitted dates

0,75 dl coconut oil

2 tbs espresso coffee

1,5 dl gluten-free oats

3 tbs raw cacao powder

1 tbs chia seeds

pinch of salt

pinch of vanilla

coconut flakes (or more cacao powder) to decorate

Soak the dates for 30min-1h if necessary (you can buy dates that are soft enough to use as-is, but you might need to soak them in water, then squeeze the excess water out before use). Melt the coconut oil. In a bowl, mix the oats, cacao powder, chia seeds, salt and vanilla. Add the cooled coffee, coconut oil and dates. Mix with a spoon or a fork, pressing the mixture to form a sticky paste.

When the paste is ready, take a serving tray or oven tray lined with parchment. Pour some coconut flakes into a small cup. Start scooping out some paste and use your hands to roll small balls. Roll the balls in coconut flakes, gently tapping the coconut to stick onto them.

Place the tray into the fridge for at least an hour and take it out 30 min before serving. The balls keep in the fridge for a few days, if for some reason they won’t get eaten before that, which I doubt.