I treat grocery shopping the same way many girls approach the mall. I slowly wander up and down the aisles, frequently pausing to inspect the items on the shelves. I’ll hold a package of strawberries up to the light, checking their color; turn a package of crackers over and over in my hands, reading the label to see if it fits; and paw through every single brand on the chocolate aisle to find the perfect gem.
During my dawdling trip last week, I discovered a new line of chocolate bars by Lindt: their “Hello!” series of milk chocolate stuffed with caramel brownie, strawberry cheesecake, and cookies ’n cream fillings! Mind blown, I stood there staring at the options for a full two minutes, seriously debating whether I could justify the splurge when I already had eight different varieties of dark chocolate stashed on my pantry shelves at home.
For once, my self-control won out… But with a compromise: once I finished off at least four of those packages of chocolate at home, I can go back and buy a bar! Yes, I’m a chocoholic…
But that started me thinking about what else could be stuffed inside of chocolate. After “Pomegranates!” popped into my head, I dove straight for my mixing bowls to make these healthier Dark Chocolate Pomegranate Truffles!
Have you ever tried those bags of dark chocolate-covered pomegranates? I did a few years back, and although lovely and rich, I was supremely disappointed when I discovered that the centers were more of a pomegranate gumdrop than a fresh pomegranate. These truffles are the exact opposite; each one is filled with whole pomegranate arils!
Tip: A few stores, including Trader Joe’s, sell packages of pomegranate arils already separated from the rest of the fruit. If you’re a klutz and prone to staining your clothes like me, they’re an awesome option to save your laundry hamper!
The truffle coating is one of my all-time favorite chocolate recipes I’ve ever posted on my blog, mainly because they’re so rich and mindlessly easy to make! Just mix together cocoa powder, applesauce, honey, and vanilla in a small bowl, and chill that for a bit. That’s all there is to it! It takes less than 5 minutes, and there isn’t any chocolate to melt or heavy cream to heat.
When the time comes to assemble the truffles, keep a small bowl of water nearby. If the chocolate mixture sticks too much to your hands, moisten them with a few drops of water. It won’t completely prevent the mixture from adhering, but it’ll stick a whole lot less!
Oh my goodness, you guys… If I could hand you one of these luxurious little bites through the computer screen, I’d do it in a heartbeat! These skinny Dark Chocolate Pomegranate Truffles are just as decadent as the fancy truffles you buy at upscale boutiques, but they’re only 29 calories each—compared to those other that are 90-100!
The batch barely lasted 24 hours… And I was the only person eating them. Whoops!
These truffles are extremely rich and decadent—nobody ever guesses they’re actually healthy! Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the cocoa, applesauce, honey, and vanilla until smooth. Place the bowl in the refrigerator and chill for at least 2 hours or up to 1 day.
- Divide the chocolate mixture into 16 pieces. Working with one piece at a time, roll into a ball; then flatten into a circle. Place 4 pomegranate arils into the center, and fold the chocolate up around the sides. Roll back into a ball, and place on a sheet of wax paper. Repeat with the remaining chocolate and pomegranate arils. Chill until ready to serve.
Notes: For a vegan version, substitute agave in place of the honey.
If the chocolate mixture sticks too much to your hands while rolling into balls, moisten your palms with a few drops of water. The moisture won’t completely prevent the chocolate from sticking to your palms, but it’ll at least reduce the amount of leftover chocolate!
{gluten-free, vegan, paleo, clean eating, low fat, low calorie}
Jen @ Baked by an Introvert says...
These truffles are spectacular, Amy. I too am a sucker for chocolate. And any time there’s a surprise of healthy fruit stuffed inside, I’m all in. Pinned!
Amy says...
Thanks for your sweet comment and the pin Jen! Sounds like we’re two peas in a pod when it comes to chocolate. 😉
Brittany says...
Wow, these look GREAT!! So simple and minimal ingredients, I LOVE. I’m the same way when it comes to grocery shopping haha. I LOVE IT. As for pomegranates, if you cut them under water and use your hands to get the seeds out while still underwater its SO easy and minimal mess AND you get more bang for your buck!! Just an idea! 😉
Amy says...
Brittany, you are SO dang smart!! I love that tip about pomegranate seeds — definitely trying that next time! Thank you!! 🙂
Justine@CookingandBeer says...
I’m totally with you, Amy! I totally treat the grocery store like many treat the mall! I think it’s my favorite part of the day. I love these little bites. I don’t think they would last long around here! Pinned!
Amy says...
Thanks for your sweet comment and pin, Justine! 🙂 I wish I had about 5 hours a day to grocery shop. Every store is different, and I love browsing the aisles to see what new things I find!
Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust says...
I love pomegranate. I need to buy the seeds more, they’re so good, especially with chocolate!
Amy says...
Thanks Dorothy! Definitely check TJ’s, and larger Safeway’s might have them too. I’m not sure. The ones where I used to live were so small that they never carried anything good!
Karen @ The Food Charlatan says...
These look amazing Amy! I love pomegranate. I’m going to have to check out those preseeded ones at TJs I didn’t know they had those!
Amy says...
Thanks Karen! The pomegranate seeds are in the refrigerated section near the other produce. So handy!