Avocado Chocolate Pudding

Found this recipe on the web somewhere... not sure where exactly.  I've modified it a bit to include less sweetener as I found the amount it asked for WAY too sweet for my taste, so you could easily adjust it to fit yours.  I've made this a lot in the last few months!

Chocolate Avocado Pudding

1 ripe avocado
5 Tablespoons cocoa powder
6 Tablespoons milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 Tablespoons sweetener (honey, maple syrup, or you could use 1/4 cup date paste... the original recipe asked for 1/4 cup maple syrup)

Get out your food processor, and process the avocado until creamy.  Plop in the other ingredients and blend until smooth.  Serve. 

It's that easy!

Chocolate Truffles

I found this recipe in one of my Kraft magazines and thought it looked good! So, I made it and found it tasted really good! Made a great Valentines gift.

Chocolate Truffles (adapted from Kraft)

time: 2 1/2 hours or more, 2 hours chilling time

Ingredients

16 squares Baker's Chocolate (70% cacao dark, or maybe try using bittersweet or milk, or white!)

1/4 cup whipping cream

1 Tbsp butter

icing sugar, chopped walnuts, sprinkles, etc

Chop 8 squares of chocolate, place in a microwave safe bowl, add cream and butter, and microwave on medium heat for 1 1/2 minutes. Stir until well blended. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour (it needed longer, I ended up freezing it till solid, then nuked it for 30 seconds or so, stirred it again, and waited. It solidified to working consistency within minutes)

Shape into 24 balls and place on waxed paper covered tray.

Melt remaining chocolate (do only 2 squares to start, then 1 at a time till everything is done so you don't melt more than you need), use a toothpick (or fork) to dip the truffles into the chocolate. Sprinkle with nuts/sprinkles. Or instead of dipping and sprinkling, roll in icing sugar or cocoa or sprinkles. Chill for another hour in the fridge