Thursday, January 19, 2012

Cookie balls, with a twist, two ways

These two sets of cookie dough balls have something in common.





Legumes.

Yes, legumes.

I know.


Who would have thought?

A little while ago I bookmarked this recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles at Chocolate Covered Katie. The recipe caught my eye because the truffles called for chickpeas or white beans as the key ingredient. The idea of making truffle balls with legumes of any kind had never occurred to me , and I found the idea rather enticing.

Actually, very enticing.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles, Take 1
Makes about 16

Ingredients
1/2 cup + 1 tbsp chickpeas
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp oats
2 tbsp almond butter
1 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp baking soda
Pinch salt
1/4 cup dark or dairy-free chocolate chips


Method
Place all ingredients except the chocolate chips in a food processor and pulse until just smooth and well-combined.

Mix through the chocolate chips.

Use a teaspoon to scoop out balls and place in small muffin cups. Set in the fridge for at least 1 hour, or the freezer for at least 30 minutes.


The original recipe offered the option of coating the balls in chocolate, but I wanted to see if they would stand up (so to speak) on their own.

In truth, these didn't work quite as well as I'd hoped. The balls were definitely edible. Very much so, in fact, but they also tasted of chickpeas. Combined with the nut butter, the overall taste was sweet but also nutty in a savoury way. A little odd.

Unhelpfully, they also refused to set. I added an extra tablespoon of chickpeas and of oats in an effort to thicken up the batter (those quantities are reflected in the ingredients listed above), but something about my method of preparation meant that they just didn't firm up, no matter how long they stayed in the fridge.


Putting them in the freezer (which I did before taking these photos) seemed to bring out the chickpea taste even more, so that wasn't a useful solution.

As a result, these were more like cups of soft dough than actual cookie dough balls. Rather tasty cups of soft dough, but still not quite what I was after.

Enter take 2...

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles, Take 2
Adapted from Version 1
Makes about 16

Ingredients
1/2 cup cannelloni (white) beans
Loose 1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp plain flour
2.5 tbsp oats
2 tsp vanilla
Dash salt
Dash cinnamon
1/4 cup dark or dairy-free chocolate chips


Method
As above -
Place all ingredients except the chocolate chips in a food processor and pulse until just smooth and well-combined.

Mix through the chocolate chips.

Use a teaspoon to scoop out balls and place in small muffin cups. Set in the fridge for at least 1 hour, or the freezer for at least 30 minutes.



These balls were thicker. And less legume-y. And as a consequence, more addictive.


You could still taste the cannelloni beans slightly, but only slightly. The oats were also detectable, in texture rather than taste, which was fine for me but might not suit everyone - using extra flour and reducing the oats would get around this if need be.

Although I usually like nuts, I found that taking out the nut butter improved both taste and texture in this instance. These were lighter than the first batch, and whilst still very moist had no problems firming up.


A success? Yes.

However, there is also a catch. I think these still come across as a 'healthy' variation on a traditional treat. A completely delicious and rather addictive healthy variation, but still not something I'd feel confident serving to guests or taking somewhere to share.


The good thing about this, though, is that I haven't yet reached the pinnacle of legume truffles. I see more experimentation ahead.

And that makes me very happy indeed.

I think the next ones might involve cocoa...

Have you made truffle balls with legumes? 
Or used legumes in any other ways I'm missing out on?

12 comments:

  1. I think the camera lies here - I thought the first batch looked like they set the most! But I am interested. I have tried apricot balls with red lentils in them - they were edible but not fantastic - I found them a little dry.

    One of the most interesting uses of legumes I have seen is in Ricki (diet dessert dogs)'s bean pizza bases but I haven't tried them - and I think kelly of the spunky coconut uses beans quite a lot in her grain free recipes

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    Replies
    1. Actually, you are just very perceptive :) I probably should have noted that the first batch were photographed after being in the freezer and the second batch after normal refrigeration...so they were probably pretty equal in firmness in the photos.

      It seems there are lots of possible legume uses when you start looking for them. I don't think I'm through with my experimentation yet; like your apricot balls I'd describe these as edible but not fantastic, and I want something better!

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  2. I made her cookie cake or whatever she calls it that has chicpeas in it. I also tried the chickpea brownie. Both were fine the day of (not great, but ok) and the next day, I found them both dry. My boyfriend, oddly enough, liked both of them. I think he's just struck with the fact that they have beans in them,though.

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    Replies
    1. I am impressed with your boyfriend! Mr Bite would steer clear of them precisely on account of the fact that they have beans in them ;) I'm glad it's not just me who hasn't had resounding success with this concept though. I guess it's a tricky balance to get right.

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  3. I would never have thought to use legumes!

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  4. Wow, I haven't seen legumes used like this before! It's probably something I won't attempt as I don't really bake sweet things often and I'm sure they wouldn't be popular at home. Very interesting though...

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    Replies
    1. Yes, probably not a fool-proof snack for two males and someone without a big sweet tooth! Certainly an interesting concept but it has its drawbacks as well as advantages.

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  5. I think I bookmarked that recipe, but I believe my first foray into bean baking will be those black bean brownies that were popular on blogs ages ago. I'm also scared of the slippery "health" slope that leads to places like the blog I chanced across where a chocolate "spread" was made with cauliflower, and I just felt so sorry for the teenage girl who wouldn't let herself eat anything "high calorie".

    But I digress. Perhaps adding coconut oil would help with the setting, at least as long as you eat them straight from the fridge and don't leave them out in summer heat? :)

    P.S> Disqus go bye-bye? Now it doesn't tell me when you've replied :(

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cauliflower?? Goodness, Hannah, now you've put me off! Mind you, my thoughts on ways to improve these make me think that I'd just de-healthify the healthy concept. After adding in flour, I'm not thinking of cocoa, and more chocolate, and now perhaps coconut oil (thanks!), and before long we'll be at regular truffles with just a few legumes thrown in for no real reason ;)

      On Disqus - I didn't realise it told people when I replied! That's good to know. I went back to Blogger when they introduced threaded comment replies, as that was what I switched to Disqus for, especially as I had that minor glitch with Disqus a few weeks back. However, I think that glitch was actually due to Blogger's changes and I am missing some aspects of Disqus now. I may revert...

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  6. No I can't say I've tried it. I was interested to see how these little fellas would turn out as I don't go well on a lot of flour but it's always a tough balance to find between healthy and tasting good - but it does sound like your second lot was much better!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Probably because I put flour back in them!! Definitely a touch balance, as you say :)

      Delete

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