I wasn't planning on posting Christmas recipes, let alone creating them - maybe that's why it happened. These easy, yet oh so delightfully yummy, raw truffels will become my go-to recipe, I'm sure, for when I want something sweet fast. They do not call for a lot of ingredients and you will most likely have them in store (I always have dried fruits in my pantry in case of things like this..) Make a few batches for Christmas; and I'm sure your friends wouldn't mind little presents either!

RAW COCOA TRUFFELS

250g dried dates (soaked for a few hours)
250ml shredded coconut
50ml raw cacao powder
0,25tsp ground vanilla
0,25tsp salt
shredded coconut or raw cacao powder for coating


Soak the dates in water for a few hours until they are soft. Drain excess liquid and pure them with a hand blender. Add rest of the ingredients and mix with your hands to combine everything well. Form small balls and roll them in cacao powder or shredded coconut. Store in the fridge for up to a week or so.

Notes:
You can use regular dark cacao powder instead of raw cacao powder; I've stuck to raw since it's less processed and has got a lot more of its valuable nutrients left.

 

RAW FIG TRUFFELS

200g dried figs and/or apricots (soaked for a few hours)
150ml shredded coconut
50ml coarse almond flour
0,25tsp ground vanilla
0,25tsp salt
0,25-0,5tsp cinnamon
shredded coconut for coating


Cut off the hard stems from the figs. Soak the figs and/or apricots in water for a few hours until they are soft. Drain excess liquid and pure them with a hand blender. Add rest of the ingredients one by one and mix with your hands to combine everything well. Form small balls and roll them in shredded coconut. Store in the fridge for up to a week or so.


Notes:
I prefer organic on most products and apricot is definitely one of them. They’re not treated with any sulfur or artificial color and so are very different from the non-organic ones. You can go for either figs or apricots or a mix or really any dried fruits! For almond flour I pulsed almond flakes in the food processor because I had them at hand, but you can of course use ready almond flour, and preferably coarse. You can also use fine almond flour, your truffels will just become a little more dense. You can, all in all, play with this recipe a lot; substitute almond flour with more shredded coconut or oatmeal. Leave out cinnamon or use more! Taste after adding each ingredient to get just the truffels you'll love!

 

RUTABAGA CASSEROLE

1,5kg rutabaga
1-2tsp salt
2-3tbsp maple syrup
0,25tsp ground nutmeg
0,25tsp ground ginger
1 organic egg
about 50g butter


Cut the rutabagas in pieces and boil in salted water until soft. Drain, but keep some of the water you boiled them in. Puree the rutabagas with a hand blender; add some of the water as needed. Add spices and egg and some knobs of butter (50g is an estimate; I really just threw some in and tasted when it was good). Be generous with salt and also go for more maple syrup (or any syrup) if you like it sweeter. Pour the whole thing in a greased oven pan, make patterns on the surface with a spoon (my pretty pattern was a little spoiled by the cracks) and bake in 175 celsius for 1,5 hours.


This is a classic in the Finnish christmas table. We also eat carrot and potato casserole (and some even liver) but if I had to pick, this is the one. This version that I just tried is also the best I've had! The recipes usually call for cream but I like how without it the taste of rutabaga gets to come out more (still tasting very soft though rutabaga has got some attitude). You can make this already now and freeze for christmas, if you will. Or just eat it straight away like I'm doing.

If I had to choose between the sea and the forest, I would so choose forest.

I love celebrating. With good food and music. I'm wrapped up in my new blanket and reminiscing the best party so far (when I turned 30).


(Pictures by my sweet friend Helena)