Chocolate Coconut Dates

Chocolate Coconut Dates

In our quest to free ourselves from sugar dependency, we try to substitute our sugar laden lives with healthier alternatives. I love this particular one because these bites are quick and easy to make. It only took me 10 minutes to prepare.

It's main ingredients are dates, nuts and coconut flakes. Not only it is healthy, but they are tasty and a hit with the kids.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dates (you can pre-soak in water to soften then drain)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
• 1/4 cup almonds or macadamia nuts
• 2 tbs. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp. coconut oil
• dash sea salt

Directions:

1. In a food processor add all of your ingredients.
2. Pulse your ingredients until well blended. About 2-3 minutes. They will be a bit chunky still.
3. Roll your mixture into balls.
4. Lastly dust with coconut flakes
5. Refrigerate to store.

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Pandan Cake

Pandan (Screwpine Leaves) Cake

It has been called the Asian Vanilla, the green leaves of the screwpine emits a sweet flavour, mostly used in Asian desserts or even some savoury dishes. It grows in a low bush in tropical and subtropical weather ( here's more on pandan  on wikipedia).

Most households in Malaysia will have a pandan bush as it grows almost unassisted without much fuss.

The Malays use them to flavour their Nasi Lemak, Sweets and the perennial favourite the KEK Pandan or Pandan Cake.

In case you do not have access to pandan leaves you may used pandan flavouring.

Ingredients

250 gms butter (softened to room temp)

150 gms castor sugar

4 eggs

60 ml coconut cream with a pinch of salt

10-15 pandan leaves blended with 1/2 cup water (strained and discard pulp)

2-3 drops green coloring

30g coconut flakes

240 gm self raising flour

1 tsp vanilla essence

Method

Oil/butter then place baking paper on a 9 inch baking pan. Pre heat oven to 

170 C.

Beat butter and sugar until creamy. Add eggs one by one and mix well each 

time. Add vanilla essence, coconut flakes and green colouring.

Add pandan juice to the coconut cream. 

Fold in flour and the coconut cream alternately mixing well each time.  Pour 

into pan and bake for 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in the centre comes 

out clean.

Dust with icing sugar for decoration.