Chocolate truffles with almonds and figs

These aren't high-calorie, high-fat truffles. Instead of a cream filling high in saturated fat, these confections get their rich flavour from almonds and dark chocolate, both of which offer health benefits, plus dried figs to provide sweetness and valuable fibre.

It’s simple to make 20 of these tasty treats with short 15-minute preparation time and 10 to 15 minutes cooking time.

• 175 g (3/4 c) whole almonds, unpeeled
• 75 g (3 oz) bittersweet dark (70% cacao) chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1 ml (1/4 tsp) ground cinnamon
• 175 g (3/4 c) dried Calimyrna figs
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) granulated sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Spread the almonds in a small baking pan and toast in the oven until fragrant, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let them cool.
2. Melt the chocolate in the top half of a double boiler over hot (not simmering) water, stirring often.
3. Place the almonds and the cinnamon in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add the figs and pulse until the figs and the almonds are finely chopped.
4. In a medium-sized bowl, add the chopped figs and almonds to the melted chocolate and mix with a wooden spoon, adding a few drops of water if necessary to help bind the mixture together.
5. Place the sugar in a shallow dish. Using a spoon, take spoonfuls of the chocolate mixture and, with your hands, roll it into 2.5-centimetre (1-inch) balls and roll each one in the sugar.
6. The truffles will keep, in a covered container in the refrigerator, for up to 2 weeks.

Nutritional information per truffle: 77 Calories, 2 g Protein, 9 g Carbohydrates, 5 g Fat, 1 g Saturated Fat, 2 g Fibre, 0 mg Cholesterol, 1 mg Sodium
Each truffle provides: 0.3 serving of fruit and 3 g of good fat