(For all ingredients, please use organic versions if available)
½ 1 pound fresh dates
¼ cup lucuma powder
2 tablespoons fresh vanilla beans
1 pound pecans
2 cups raw cacao butter
1 cup raw cacao powder
½ cup clear agave*
* Megan recommends the Ultimate Superfoods brand for these ingredients
- Put the dates in the food processor.
- Put in the lukuma powder and the fresh vanilla beans on top of the dates.
- Blend them all up so they’ll become date paste, which are going to be the caramel.
- Take a bit of the paste onto the teflex sheet or anything that won’t stick with the dates.
- Keep wetting your hands every once and a while so that the paste don’t stick to your fingers.
- Roll the paste into a little ball so that it will be easier to work with later.
- Squish the ball a little bit with your fingers.
- Take a pecan and then press them into the bottom of the paste. Place another 3 pecans into the bottom of the paste. This will be like the little legs of a turtle.
- Put the “turtles” into the fridge for about an hour so that they can get a little bit more solid.
- Meanwhile let’s make the raw chocolate.
- Take the raw cacao butter.
- Melt them. There are two ways: do it in a double boiler by putting hot water in a bowl underneath it and letting it melt, or just put it in the dehydrator.
- Take the cacao powder, put it into a sifter, that way no chunks get in it. And just sift it through, so that it’s airy and light.
- Mix the cacao powder and the melted butter.
- Add in the agave syrup. Keep stirring and taste it. If you like sweet, add more agave, if you like it bitter add more cacao powder.
- Take the “turtles” out of the fridge and put the raw chocolate on the top of the “turtles”.
- Do it quick because the chocolate does get solid pretty quick.
- Put the “turtles” back in the fridge again for about 15 minutes.
- The raw vegan chocolate pecan turtles is ready to be served.