Recipe of the day: Stuffed dates with peanut butter and chocolate

A quality dark chocolate is considered a superfood because the cacao it’s made from is rich in antioxidants and beneficial nutrients like magnesium, iron and flavonoids.

These compounds have been linked to potential benefits for heart health, brain function, and more. 

However, it is important to choose dark chocolate with a high cocoa content, with minimal sugar and additives, to reap these benefits.  

This is the message from Nicolas Thoenen, a dynamic Swiss businessman whose love affair with chocolate brought him to South Africa and has earned him the affectionate nickname of this country’s own Willy Wonka.

Thoenen – who first came to this country as the founding CEO of Lindt & Sprüngli’s South African subsidiary – now brings the Spanish premium chocolate brand Valor into the country, allowing consumers to have their chocolate and eat it too!

Thoenen shares some of his sweet treat recipes, perfect for summer and the upcoming festive season.

Ingredients

• 10/14 medjool dates
• 80ml (⅓ cup) no added salt and sugar peanut butter (or other nut butter) – may need slightly more if dates are large
• 10/14 walnuts
• 100g (slab) Valor 85% or 70% cacao 0% added sugar dark chocolate, broken into pieces
• Optional: crushed nuts or sea salt flakes (Maldon)

Instructions

• Line a large baking tray with parchment paper (to ensure dates don’t stick).
• Slice open each date and remove pit. Place on tray.
• Spoon a teaspoon of peanut butter into the middle of each. Push in a walnut and close the date.
• Chill the filled dates for 10-15 minutes.
• While the dates are chilling, melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in a bowl over simmering water.
• Dip each date into the chocolate to coat using a fork. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt or crushed nuts if desired.
• Chill the dates in the fridge for 30 minutes or until the chocolate is set.

Marshmallow and Berry Kebabs

Ingredients

• 8 wooden kebab sticks, soaked in water for 30 minutes beforehand
• 24 large strawberries or raspberries, lightly rinsed
• Optional: 8 pink and white marshmallows

Chocolate Sauce:

• 100g (slab) Valor 85% or 70% cacao 0% added sugar dark chocolate, broken into pieces
• 250ml (1 cup) cream

Instructions

Start off by making the sauce. Combine the chocolate with the cream in a heatproof glass bowl and microwave on medium for two minutes, then stir and repeat until the chocolate has melted.

Divide the berries and marshmallows, if using, between the kebab sticks, threading them alternately. A good idea is to lightly char the kebabs over a very low fire at the end of the braai or under the grill by placing kebabs on greaseproof paper on a pan and spraying them with non-stick cooking spray, so they don’t stick.

Serve immediately, generously drizzled with the chocolate sauce.

Ice Cream Sandwiches with Hot Chocolate Sauce

(Makes 12)

Ingredients

1 litre quality vanilla ice cream – you can use yoghurt or sugar-free ice cream

24 sugar-free vanilla biscuits

Chocolate Sauce:

100g (slab) Valor 85% or 70% cacao 0% added sugar dark chocolate, broken into pieces

250ml (1 cup) fresh cream

15ml (1 tbsp) brandy, optional

Using an ice cream scoop, shape 12 ice cream balls. Place on a tray sprayed with non-stick cooking spray and freeze till just hardened.

Spread out 12 biscuits on a baking tray. Place a ball of ice cream on each biscuit. Cover with another biscuit, press down, and re-freeze.

Make the sauce by combining the chocolate, cream, and brandy, if using, in a heatproof glass bowl and microwave on medium for 2 minutes, then stir. Repeat until the chocolate has melted.

Remove the biscuits from the freezer five minutes before serving. Drizzle with chocolate sauce and serve immediately.

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