Recipe by Steph Schall Hub
Prep Time 10 mins
Chill time 10 mins
Total Time 20 mins
These are the perfect afternoon pick-me-up. Made in 10 minutes, and probably gone in half the time, these are a delicious twist on the peanut butter and jelly (raspberry jam) flavour combo. Gluten free, and refined sugar free, you can make the components ahead of time and use them for different purposes too! Yummy and versatile!
Serves 20
Ingredients
Raspberry Chia Jam
1 cup frozen raspberries
1 tablespoon chia seeds
Raw Chocolate Drizzle
¼ cup coconut oil melted
2 tablespoons raw cacao powder
2-3 tablespoons maple syrup
Pinch salt
10-20 Medjool dates
¼ cup smooth peanut butter
Steps
1. In a small saucepan over low heat, thaw the raspberries, mashing with a fork so achieve a saucy consistency. When thawed, stir in the chia seeds, remove from heat and set aside to thicken for 10 minutes.
2. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the melted coconut oil, cacao, maple and salt. Set aside.
3. Grab a tray and cover with baking paper. Pit the Medjool dates and open them up ready for filling.
4. Take a ½ teaspoon peanut butter and place in the middle of the date. Layer a ½ teaspoon raspberry jam over the top of this, then gently close the Medjool date as much as you can without the filling spilling out. Drizzle with the raw chocolate and repeat with remaining dates. Alternatively, you could dip the whole date in the chocolate for a more substantial and chocolatey bite, or dip half in/leave half to make an interesting and colourful pattern with the fillings.
5. Place in the freezer for 10 minutes for chocolate to harden, then enjoy!
6. Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to a month. Let thaw for a minute or so for the best chewy texture.
Notes
This recipe is not suitable for dried dates, as they need to be soft, chewy and big enough to fill, so be sure to buy fresh Medjool dates (available from most supermarkets).
The raspberry jam can be made ahead and keeps in the fridge for up to two weeks.
I do not sweeten mine, however feel free to sweeten to taste with maple syrup or your choice of sweetener. I find the sweetness of the dates works perfectly with the tanginess of the raspberries.
Use a natural peanut butter that is free of sugar and salt.
The chocolate sauce can be made ahead and keeps in the fridge for up to two weeks. Just remove and gently melt to pouring consistency. This sauce is great for topping ice cream, desserts, porridge, or dipping fruit in!
Keep these bites in the freezer and thaw for 1-2 minutes for the best chewy consistency!
Steph Schall is a plant-based chef, registered nurse, qualified yoga instructor and health coach. She is the resident chef at the Abbie James HQ and you can find out more about her culinary adventures and her cooking classes at www.stephschallhub.com
Read our interview with Steph here.
