I prepared this post before I left for my trip to India … it’s time to post it and I’m looking longingly at what I’ve written … very much missing my almond milk here, and my kitchen full stop!!  

So here you go folks … ENJOY SOME FOR ME!

I love making fresh almond milk.

And it’s creeping comfortably into my routine of late, I seem to be preparing fresh batches every few days.  And then I realised I could freeze it!

It’s really satisfying to drink.

And  so much creamier, and tastier than anything store bought.  Plus of course, it doesn’t have anything in it I don’t want, like crappy ‘vegetable’ oils, preservatives or the carcinogenic and inflammatory carageenan which are some common additives you’ll find in store bought packs.

Once you’ve separated the pulp from the milk, you can always add it to your breakfast cereal or smoothies, dry it out and store it in a jar to use as flour, but I wanted to make something else more solid with mine.

So the other day I made up these brownies and truffles with the left over almond pulp.

They are quite simply DELIGHTFUL, and what’s really handy about them is that they’re stored in the freezer, so they’re just sitting there waiting for you whenever you feel like something rich, sweet, and nutritious, and you don’t have to worry about keeping them fresh.

Their consistency straight from the freezer is surprisingly accessible – they’re cold – but not tooth-nervy cold, they’re firm but also sort of chewy.  

I’m thrilled with them!

This recipe makes up quite a lot of goodies – the quantity can be reduced accordingly, depending how much pulp you’ve got.  We go through quite a lot of almond milk, and I yielded approx. 30 brownies AND approx. 50 truffles, or maybe a little more?!

Now you can keep them plain, without adding any flavours to them for a pure chocolatey experience, but I’m a choc-orange and choc-mint fan, so I use these combos quite frequently …  you can add whatever flavours you love!  ‘Drop and try’ to find your desired taste – I used about 6 – 8 drops in this mix of each.

For a special occasion, some of you might even like to use Baileys or Kahlua or something like that?!  

I like to have a selection, so once the basic mix is blended, I separate it into little dishes and add the essences accordingly.

I have a lovely collection of natural & organic food flavours, a brand called MEDICINE FLOWER, they are pure extractions without alcohol or additives.

But using a good quality 100% essential oil of orange or peppermint works too, and you can get them from your local herbalist/naturopath/healthfood store.  Quality oil and nothing less than 100% pure essential oil is best, maybe ask to check it’s food grade first, if you’re unsure.

I made my brownies plain with no flavours added, and the truffles using orange, and some more using mint essence.

These oils and essences might seem pricey, but you’re only using a few drops at a time so they last for ages.  I use them in smoothies and to flavour other foods, so it’s not just for one recipe!  (And you could even double up on their use by burning them in your oil burner to fragrance your home, or add to your bath if you so wish!)

 As I said, THIS MAKES A BIG BATCH.  Halve or quarter the ingredients if you need to, but remember they keep in the freezer so they won’t go off!

Ingredients:

1.5 cups almond pulp (squeezed, dry to touch)

1.5 cups raw unsalted cashew nuts

3 cups pitted dates, rinsed, or 1.5 cups date paste.

15 tablespoons raw organic cacao powder

12 tablespoons dessicated coconut (no nasties added)

1/2 cup rice malt syrup

10 drops liquid stevia

3 tablespoons of coconut sugar syrup (optional- just if like me, you’ve got some in a jar in the fridge!)

1/4 teaspoon Celtic sea salt

1 teaspoon vanilla powder (if you didn’t use my date paste recipe above)

A few drops each of 100% essential oil of peppermint and/or orange – to your taste

Maybe some fresh or freeze-fried raspberries to prettify.

  Method:

1. First place cashews in your food processor and process until they become small and turn to flour.

2. Add to the cashews, the date paste or dates & vanilla, process again until the mixture sticks together and the dates are well processed. (If you’re using dates, I like to squidge them as I throw them in, to be 100% sure there’s not one pit left in there!)

3. Add the remaining ingredients, and process again until the mixture turns a lovely dark chocolatey brown.  Stop processing before it gets too buttery.

4. Elect how much of your mixture you want to use as brownies and how much as truffles.

To Make My Bangin’ & Beauteous Brownies:

Decide if you’re going to add flavouring and add it here, mixing it in well, in separate bowls if making a selection, or perhaps keeping them just a chocolatey affair.  

Empty & scrape the mixture into a brownie dish or cake/oven pan that’s been lined with parchment paper and press down very firmly using your clean hands.

Place this raw almond pulp fudgey brownie mix into the freezer for at least one hour.

I like to slice mine up, sprinkle with chopped almonds, pistachios, or freeze-dried raspberries and keep them in sealed containers in the freezer ready at a moment’s notice for gob-popping!

Always keep them in the freezer to preserve and to retain their consistency.

To Make My Triumphant Truffles:

Add your flavouring if using.

Roll them into small balls (they are quite rich), I like to use gloves if I’m making balls for entertaining, it’s just polite really,  isn’t it?!

Roll the balls in chopped nuts or desiccated coconut or BOTH! and freeze!

Et Voilá … they’re the bomb!

 

 

My Raw Chocolate Brownies & Truffles Recipe

Give them a whirl and tell me how you go!  

Hope you love them,

Lila, xo