Pumpkin Cookie Dough Bonbons

It’s already November and Halloween’s vibes are gradually fading. All the sugar high trick or treat treatment buckets and Sainsburys’ Cadbury tins are gradually becoming history (except for all the packaging which is all over the living room’s carpet reminding you of last night’s cruel candy massacre).

There’s only one equation to be solved now (but luckily this article comes with an answer too): what to do with all the pumpkin that is left now in your kitchen, the same pumpkin that has been sacrificed for the sake of perky creatures and tormented spirits this year…Cookie dough may be the finest answer l, official determined slaughterer of the after-party guilty feelings, can offer, and today I’ve joined forces with Amy Levin, the world’s leading raw chocolatier, who is sharing this original recipe with all mums on the go (do not get intimidated by the ingredients list, finding lucuma powder or coconut flour is easier than you think; e.g. one Ocado click away).

Ingredients – Make 15 balls

50g (scant ½ cup) oat flour (rolled oats ground into flour in Vitamix or coffee grinder )

50g ( ¼ cup ) ground almond

5g ( 1 tbsp ) psyllium husk

15g ( 1 tbsp ) lucuma

35g ( 2 ½ tbsp ) coconut flour

100g ( ½ cup) coconut sugar, powdered in Vitamix or coffee grinder

100g ( 1 cup ) raw pumpkin / squash ( Red Kuri, Butternut, etc )

1 vanilla powder

Spices

½ tbsp Cinnamon Powder 
¼ tsp Nutmeg, freshly grated

⅛ tsp Clove powder

½ tsp Cardamom Powder

½ tsp Ginger powder

Pinch sea salt

Or use your favourite pre-mixed pumpkin pie spice blend

80g (½ cup) cacao butter, melted or soft

30g ( ¼ cup ) activated walnuts ( link )

Method
Peel and dice the pumpkin or squash of your choice.  Red Kuri is the best choice and is generally available is health food markets in the USA or Farmers Markets in the UK.

Steam the pumpkin or squash until tender.

Combine the steamed pumpkin and remaining first set of ingredients, including the spices, in the food processor and blend until smooth.

Add the cacao butter and blend to combine.

Last, add the walnuts and pulse to combine and slightly break down. We want these to stay chunky for the texture.

From here, there are 2 ways to finish these cookie dough balls.

Dipping in chocolate – Roll the mix into small balls and transfer to a teflex or greaseproof paper lined tray. Set in the fridge until firm, about 15 minutes.

While the balls are setting, following these instructions for enrobing to prepare the chocolate.

You can finely chop activated walnuts and use them as a garnish once dipped, or roll the dipped balls into the walnuts to coat. As pictured.

Rolling in chopped nuts – In the food processor, blend up some activated walnuts into a rough crumb and, prior to setting the balls in the fridge, roll them in the chopped nuts to coat.

Set in the fridge about 15 minutes or until set firm.

You can find more on Amy’s recipes here (sign up for free recipes every Friday) or if you’re an active #instamum, you could check her brilliant Insta account here.

More about Amy Levin…

Amy is a classically trained professional chef who found her way into vegan and vegetarian raw food in 2004 while training to be a holistic health counselor at The Institute of Integrative Nutrition. She currently teaches raw chocolate classes in South London and consults with businesses who wish to implement only the very best raw chocolates and desserts into their menu or product line, Facebook her for all event updates.