Cookie Dough and Chocolate Brownie Bites

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As a child, there was nothing that frustrated me more when baking than my Mum telling me off for eating leftover cookie dough. "You'll get salmonella from the eggs!" she'd sigh, whisking the bowl out of reach of my sticky little hands and promptly immersing it in murky dishwater. Now, over a decade later, I never have to worry about pesky bacteria lurking in the squidgy depths of my vanilla-dotted cookie dough. If there's a better reason to turn vegan, I remain blissfully unaware.

These little bites are a fusion of healthy bliss balls and not-so-healthy cookie dough and chocolate fudge brownies. The higher quality vanilla and dark chocolate you use, and the fresher the oats, the yummier these will taste - as is true with most things. I myself used squares of Loving Earth Creamy Mylk chocolate and Heilala Vanilla ground vanilla beans. So, instead of having to patiently wait until the next time you bake brownies or cookies, you can pop one of these into your mouth and off you go! Nutritious and delicious - this is my kind of 'balance'!

 

CHOCOLATE BROWNIE BITES WITH PEANUT BUTTER SHELL (makes 4)

INGREDIENTS

1/3 cup of whole oats
2 tablespoons of almond meal
1 tablespoon of cacao powder
1/4 teaspoon of ground vanilla bean powder
Pinch of sea salt
1/4 of a small avocado (around 2 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon of maple syrup
1 tablespoon of smooth peanut butter
1 teaspoon of coconut oil

METHOD

  1. Place the whole oats in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until they resemble a fine powder.
  2. Add the almond meal, cacao powder, vanilla, and sea salt, and blend until well mixed.
  3. While the food processor is still running, add the avocado, and pour in the maple syrup. This should form a sticky, chocolatey dough.
  4. Divide the dough into four parts, roll into balls, and place in a container lined with parchment paper. Put this in the refrigerator until the balls are set.
  5. Make the peanut butter topping by melting the peanut butter and coconut oil together in either a small saucepan or the microwave. Dip the brownie balls into this mixture, return to the container, and place in the refrigerator to set. These will keep for a week at most in the refrigerator, but I recommend eating them fresh.

(makes 4)

INGREDIENTS

COOKIE DOUGH BITES
1/4 cup of raw cashews
1/4 cup of whole oats
1/4 cup of almond meal
1/2 a teaspoon of ground vanilla bean powder
Pinch of sea salt

CHOCOLATE SHELL
2 1/2 tablespoons of maple syrup
12 squares of good-quality dark chocolate (70% cacao solids)

METHOD

  1. Place the raw cashews and oats into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until they resemble a fine powder.
  2. Add the almond meal, sea salt, and vanilla and pulse again until evenly distributed.
  3. While the food processor is still running, pour in the maple syrup to form a sticky dough.
  4. Scrape the mixture into a bowl. Chop 8 squares of the dark chocolate into small pieces, then stir it through, divide into four, and roll into balls. Place in a container lined with parchment paper and refrigerate until firm (this will take around 10 minutes or so).
  5. Melt the remaining 4 squares of dark chocolate either in a bowl over a pot boiling water, or in the microwave on a low setting, taking care not to completely melt it or burn it - the hot glass bowl and a good stir will take care of any pesky lumps remaining. Dip your cookie bites into the chocolate, or cover them entirely if you so desire, then return to the parchment paper lined container. These are best eaten fresh, hence the small number, but if you so desire they are fine in the refrigerator! I would advise against freezing them because of the chewy oats.