Desserts: Cold Desserts: Dried Fruit and Coconut Balls

These goodies make yummy holiday gifts and party treats!

Author: American Institute for Cancer Research - www.aicr.org
Date: December 18, 2012

Suggestions: For a holiday gift, place in wax paper-lined decorative box or tin.

* Black mission figs, also referred to as mission figs, are darker in color. Turkish figs, also referred to as Calimyrna figs, are green-yellow in color.

** Please carefully check the ingredients of these products to ensure they contain no gluten, if a gluten-free recipe is required.

Serves: 15 person(s)
Yield: 15 x 2 coconut ball servings (approx. 28-32 balls)

Preparation Time: 30 mins
Cooking Time: 0 mins

Ingredients:

7 dried black mission figs, stemmed and quartered *
4 dried Turkish figs, stemmed and coarsely chopped *
1/4 cup preserved ginger, coarsely chopped **
5 oz pitted dates, quartered
1/4 cup golden raisins, unpacked
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp grated orange zest (optional)
1 Tbsp orange juice
1/3 cup reduced-fat unsweetened shredded coconut **

Directions:

Place figs and ginger in food processor, and grind by pulsing 10 to 12 times. Add dates, raisins, cardamom, and orange zest (if using) and whirl until mixture forms a sticky ball, about 15 seconds. If mixture is too hard and dry, add orange juice and whirl to blend.

Spread coconut in wide, shallow bowl. Moistening hands lightly with cold water, form fruit mixture into balls slightly larger than 3/4-inch (balls should be bite-sized). Roll dried fruit balls in coconut, coating evenly. Place coconut-coated balls on plate.

Dried fruit balls can be stored in airtight, wax paper-lined container for 2 days at room temperature and one week in refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before serving.