4 Ingredient Snicker Balls + Video
I have sat down to write this blog post every day for the past week and every time my fingers sit on the keyboard to type I'm interrupted by a little or big person. Either needing something, waking up from a nap, poopy nappy, crying baby needing to be rocked, fed or changed or me just needing to walk outside for five minutes to breathe some fresh air. The last three weeks with our new Little Miss A home (missed that announcement check over here . I'll be writing a full post soon on our new addition) has been pretty full on and adjusting to life with a newborn is always difficult in the first few months. The lack of sleep, lack or time to get anything done, needy children, messy house and overflowing laundry basket are the main distractions at the moment and time to blog is not high on my priority list.
However, I knew I needed to make time to share this recipe with you guys because these little balls of Snicker magic have kept me sane in the last month of my pregnancy and again in the early weeks with a new baby. I know you probably shouldn't eat your feelings, but these 4 Ingredient Snicker Balls have made me happy on more than one occasion in the last week alone. When I feel like my sanity is on edge, my hangry is out of control, my temper about to break or the tears about to flow because "hormonal" postpartum mum here. These balls have been my little pop of happiness. Time is of the essence when I do anything at the moment and the fact these little babies only require four ingredients - dates, chocolate, peanuts and vanilla, one bowl, two hands (you could use a food processor if you don't have babies sleeping) and about 15 minutes of your time.
I like these even more because they are dairy free, gluten free, vegan and kinda healthy - if you minus the chocolate covering them. Ha. I use good quality 70% Lindt dark chocolate which is dairy free to coat these snicker balls. The combination of the sweet dates, the delicious roasted and salted peanuts and the little hit of vanilla make for a flavour bomb in your mouth. Whoever put the sweet and salty combo together surely made a serious winner in my books. My first combo of this recipe was stuffing peanuts and choc chips inside the Medjool date and while that what a nice start I knew I wanted the sweet and salty combo mixed together somehow and covered in chocolate. So I played around with mixing the dates and nuts together and covered them in melted dark chocolate. The right kind of chocolate, of course, such as a good 70% premium dark chocolate as it offsets the saltiness and sweetness of the peanuts and dates.
I made these into quite large sized balls - about the size of a walnut, but I think you could totally make the slightly smaller and get a few more balls out of the mix. As you can see, I got about 12 snicker balls out of the mix and drizzled them in chocolatey goodness. Don't forget the little sprinkle of sea salt flakes on the top. It finishes off the salty note these Snicker Balls carry. Oh, my was it ever hard not to sink my face into the bowl of melted chocolate. *Sigh* My chocolate cravings go through the roof when I am breastfeeding - because hungry and because tired! I have to pace myself through a bar of chocolate . Otherwise, it'll be gone in under a day or two if I am not careful. I had to hide these Snicker Balls at the back fo the fridge, so I don't see them first thing when I open the door. Otherwise, that is all I will think about if I open the door for something else and spy them there.
The glisten on melted chocolate gets me every time. How gorgeous do they look all ready to be popped into the fridge to set? By the time I finished coating the snicker balls in chocolate my face may have looked like a two-year old's who got into the chocolate bowl. Chocolate everywhere. I couldn't help myself and didn't realise the chocolate smudges that resulted in a few too many "samples" of the melted chocolate. You could sit these little guys on a rack to let the excess chocolate drip off before putting them into the fridge to set, but I like the little bit of extra chocolate at the bottom of each ball. Never say no to too much chocolate.
Once set, pop them into an airtight container and hide them from everyone or if you are feeling generous I dare say they would make a great edible gift come Christmas time or as part of your celebatory feast this festive season. If you are like me and just need a little pick me up in the afternoon after a hard morning of parenting then I say they are perfect for that too.
4 Ingredient Snicker Balls
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: nil
Makes: 12 Balls
Download & Print RecipeIngredients
- 18 medjool dates, deseeded, roughly chopped
- 3/4 cup salted & roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
- 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 150g 70% dark chocolate (I use Lindt as it is dairy free), melted
- 1 teaspoon salt flakes - to garnish
Instructions
In a large mixing bowl add the Medjool dates, peanuts, vanilla essence and salt. Using your hands mix the ingredients together until thoroughly combined. (*You could do this in a food processor but would blitz the nuts up a little finer)
Rinse your hands and keep your hands moist to roll the mixture into walnut-sized balls.
Place onto a lined baking tray or plate and pop into the freezer for 5 minutes to firm up slightly.
Melt the dark chocolate in the microwave in 30-second bursts until it is completed melted.
Remove the balls from the fridge. Using a fork pop each snicker ball into the melted chocolate and roll around until completed coated. Lift it out of the chocolate with the fork and let the excess chocolate drip off before placing it back onto the tray. Sprinkle a pinch of the salt flakes on top of the snickers ball.
Repeat with the remaining balls. Place the snickers balls into the fridge for 15-20 minutes to let the chocolate set.
Remove a couple of minutes before serving or eat straight from the fridge! Enjoy
Cooks NotesThese snicker balls should last up to two weeks in an airtight container in the fridge. That's if they last that long!!!!
