Goodie Balls

For some mad reason my sister in law has decided to give up chocolate for the month of October - bizarre!
She, my brother and nephews came around last Sunday for afternoon tea (and to use our dryer - weeks of rain has called for desperate measures). Goodie I said, I'll make a slice... fabulous, but don't use chocolate came the reply. Don't use chocolate! Well, I don't really feel like cooking then. Then my big girl said "what about goodie balls?" ok goodie balls it was.

The ingredients and amounts are a very rough guide…chuck in whatever you have and adjust the water plus or minus honey for consistency and stickiness.

1/3 cup cocoa or cacao
1/3 cup or less of boiling water
2/3 cup natural almonds, hazelnuts or both
1/3 pepitas
1tbs sesame seeds or tahini paste
½ cup dried apricots, roughly chopped
½ cup sultanas
½ cup prunes, pitted and roughly chopped
1 tbs or so of runny honey
Coconut, almond meal or more cocoa/cacao to coat

Mix the cocoa/cocao and boiling water in a small jug/jar/cup and stir til smooth
Put the nuts and seeds in the wizzer and process until finely chopped, add the dried fruit and honey and process until well combined, then add the cocoa and water mix and wiz once more.
Scoop up teaspoon sized bits and roll into balls between wet hands – the kids can help with this (or do like I do and leave them to it)

drop the balls into a shallow plate/bowl of your choice of coating and cover to get rid of the stickiness – store in a lined airtight container in the fridge…they seem to keep for ages, if they don’t get eaten that is!

(No cocoa is not chocolate, I said. It is a precursor)