Chocolate cherry walnut truffles

Ingredients

2 tbsp. boiling water
2 oz. dark chocolate (64 to 72 percent cacao content), very finely chopped
1/2 cup walnuts
1 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup pitted and halved Medjool dates
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Sea salt
1/4 cup finely diced dried cherries
2 tbsp. shredded coconut
1/4 tsp. curry powder

Directions

Stir boiling water into chopped chocolate and let stand for 30 seconds. Using a small whisk, stir until chocolate is completely melted and glossy. Coarsely grind walnuts in a food processor, then add cocoa powder, dates, vanilla and 1/8 tsp. salt. Process for 1 minute. Add the chocolate mixture and process until smooth, another minute. Transfer to a bowl and stir cherries into the chocolate mixture.

Cover and chill until firm, about 2 hours in the refrigerator or 20 minutes in the freezer. On a plate, mix coconut, curry powder and a pinch of salt. Scoop up about 2 tsp. of the chilled chocolate mixture and roll into a smooth ball between your palms, then roll in the curried coconuts to coat. Repeat with remaining mixture, then place truffles in an airtight container and chill thoroughly before serving.

Tips: If you want to give the truffles a golden hue, toast the coconut in a 300-degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes. For a more distinctive taste, add another 1/4 tsp. curry powder.

Makes about 20

Recipe reprinted with permission from "The Healthy Mind Cookbook," Copyright © 2015 by Rebecca Katz with Mat Edelson, Ten Speed Press, a division of the Crown Publishing Group, Berkeley, CA. Photo by Maren Caruso.