Date, Coconut and Cocoa Bites (With a Sugar free option)

My R masi is my inspiration for trying out new recipes. She always has a new recipe to share when I call and now in the Whatsapp age, she never fails to send photos of her dishes.

She had made these date, coconut and cocoa bites for Raksha Bandhan and it was a hit with everyone. I made these for Diwali. Here's her recipe...

Ingredients:

1 cup tightly packed chopped dates

1 cup desiccated coconut

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

2 tablespoons powdered sugar (to make it sugar free, see notes below)

1 tablespoon ghee

Heat ghee in thick bottomed pan. Add the dates and cook for 8-10 minutes till the dates become a smooth lump. Add the cocoa and sugar and mix well. Cook for another minute and add the coconut. Quickly mix into the date mixture and after a minute, put it off the heat. 

Line a chopping board or any flat surface with a cling film. Put the lump in a tube form and form into a roll with the help of the film. Cut into discs and let them cool. Finally roll the sides in coconut. 

Enjoy! 

Notes:

You can store it in the refrigerator upto 1 week

Use good quality Omani dates which are sweeter and have more moisture in them

If you want to make it sugar free, add 2 tablespoons more dates 

You can add nuts to this mix as well