Vegan Raffaello Coconut Balls

These are a homemade copycat of the coconut and almond truffle, made without dairy. Coconut butter, coconut oil, nut butter and maple syrup get chilled, rolled around a whole blanched almond and coated in shredded coconut. Six ingredients, no baking, about 20 minutes of work plus chilling time. This is an independent recipe and has nothing to do with Ferrero.

EASY RAW RAFFAELLO BALLS

I was always a fan of coconut-based chocolates and sweets, and needless to say, coconut truffles and bounties were my favourite picks. So I had to work out my own way to make them without dairy, and these came out better than I expected, even though they involve just 6 ingredients. You may store them at room temperature, in the fridge or in the freezer and grab one every time you have an urge to eat something sweet. You may even make larger batches to share with your loved ones or treat your guests. They make a good homemade gift too. Even your non-vegan mates will like these.

The shop-bought version is built on a rounded wafer shell filled with a milk cream, with one blanched almond in the centre and a coconut coating on the outside. Despite popular belief, there is no white chocolate in it, just the sweet milky core, and that dairy is exactly why it is not vegan. My homemade version does not have the wafer shell, but it does the same job. It also skips the processed sugar, refined oils and artificial preservatives. If you love coconut, these will do the trick.

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May I Use Other Nuts for Raffaello balls?

The original is built on an almond and coconut cream. However, if you do not really like almonds, you may use cashew butter in place of almond butter or any other nut butter of your choice. You may also replace the whole almonds with cashews, macadamias, hazelnuts or peanuts. Raw peanut butter turns these into peanut butter truffles.

You can make your own nut butter if you wish:

How do you make coconut butter at home?

Homemade coconut butter is simple to make and it tastes good. To make your own, put shredded coconut in a food processor and pulse until buttery and smooth, scraping down the sides as you go. If your processor is strong, the whole blending takes a couple of minutes. With a weaker model, allow 7 to 8 minutes to reach a smooth buttery texture.

I suggest making a larger amount by processing 2 cups (about 170 g) of shredded coconut, or your food processor will struggle to blend it properly. Keep any leftover coconut butter for other desserts, or use it as a spread in place of butter and jam. It sets firmer at cooler temperatures, but a few seconds over a water bath or double boiler loosens it again. It melts very easily.

HOW TO PREPARE VEGAN RAFFAELLO BALLS:

Only 6 ingredients are enough to make these raw, no-bake balls of coconut.

1st STEP: PREPARE YOUR COCONUT MIXTURE

Begin by mixing the coconut butter, coconut oil and almond butter (or any other nut butter) in a bowl. Microwave for a few seconds or let it melt over a hot water bath, then stir in the maple syrup and the shredded coconut. Keep the mixture in the fridge for half an hour or in the freezer for 10 minutes so it becomes solid.

2nd STEP: SHAPE & ROLL THE COCONUT TRUFFLES

Once the coconut mixture has solidified, spoon out small bite-size portions to make your balls. Roll each ball with your hands and press one almond (or other nut) into its core. Lastly, roll the balls in the shredded coconut until completely covered and no longer sticky on the outside. Repeat until no mixture is left and put them in the fridge to set.

THIS HOMEMADE RAFFAELLO RECIPE IS:

• Vegan
• Gluten-Free
• Dairy-free
• Raw/No-Bake
• Rich
• Grain-free
• Refined sugar free
• Tasty
• A good dessert or snack to make at home

Have you tried this recipe? Let me know in the comments down below. You may also tag me and post your own pictures of these treats on social media.

Vegan Raffaello Truffles

A dairy-free take on the coconut and almond truffle. Using just a few ingredients and 2-3 simple steps, you’ll have a treat to eat yourself or share with others.

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Chilling Time: 20-30 minutes

Course: Dessert/Snack

Servings: approx. 20 balls

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup homemade or store-bought coconut butter (about 60 g)
• 1 tbsp + 1 tsp almond or other nut butter
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 4 tbsp shredded coconut (about 20 g)
• 20 almonds, blanched (you may use other nuts as well)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine the coconut butter, coconut oil, and almond butter in a heatproof bowl or deep dish and heat over a hot water bath or in the microwave for a few seconds. Stir to mix everything well.
2. Add the maple syrup and shredded coconut and stir well to combine. Transfer the mixture to the fridge and allow to set and solidify for 20-30 minutes. Alternatively, you can freeze it in 10 minutes.
3. Once the coconut mixture has solidified, spoon out small bite-size portions to make your balls. Roll each ball with your hands and add one almond (or other nut) in its core. Lastly, wrap the balls into the shredded coconut until completely covered and no longer sticky on the exterior surface. Repeat until you no mixture is left and put in the fridge to cool and set.
4. Serve and enjoy right away (at room temperature) or keep in the fridge or freezer.

NOTES:

-Coconut oil: the ingredient list above does not give a quantity for it, though step 1 calls for it. Add a small amount, just enough to loosen the mixture, and hold back if it starts to look wet

-You can make your own coconut butter by processing a good amount of shredded coconut in a food processor, on high speed

-Almonds: you may use almonds or other nuts in their places such as cashews or hazelnuts (for the nut butter and whole nuts in the centre)

-Maple syrup: Feel free to replace this with any other sweetening syrup of your preference

-Storage tips: you can keep this in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for a couple of months.

Why is Raffaello not vegan?

The shop-bought version contains dairy. The filling is a milk cream built on skimmed milk powder and whey powder, so it is out for vegans regardless of how the rest of it is made. There is no vegan version of the branded product on Australian shelves at the moment, which is the reason for making them yourself.

How long do these coconut balls keep?

About a week in an airtight container in the fridge, or a couple of months in the freezer. They soften quickly at room temperature because coconut oil melts at around 24°C, so on a warm day keep them chilled until you serve them. Straight from the freezer they are firm, so give them five minutes on the bench first.

Why is my mixture too soft to roll?

Almost always because it has not chilled long enough, or because there is too much coconut oil in it. Put it back in the fridge for another 15 minutes and try again. If it still will not hold, work in another tablespoon of shredded coconut to soak up the extra fat. Cold hands help too, so rinse them under cold water before rolling.

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