Cashew-Ginger-Coconut Chews

While listening to a virtual symphony of coughing, sneezing and nose blowing on my morning commuter train, some unpleasant germ phobic thoughts started pervading my brain.  In an effort to silence them, I distracted myself with daydreams about, you guessed it, food. While I reminisced about how much I enjoyed one of my dinners from last week (Udon Noodles with Cashew Sauce), I had an epiphany.

I'm sure most of you hear that word and think someone has finally come up with a cure for cancer or figured out a foolproof plan for world peace. But remember who you're dealing with here. My epiphany was much more pedestrian. It was a way in which I could transform my dinner into candy. Maybe it's a little pathetic that I thought it was so inspired that I immediately scribbled it down so my brilliant idea would not be lost to the world forever. I can only hope for humanity's sake there are other people out there, more clever and capable than myself, who daydream of bigger and brighter endeavors.

CASHEW-GINGER-COCONUT CHEWS

Yield: approx. 50

2 cups unsalted roasted cashews

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger

6 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups white chocolate chips

1 ½ cups unsweetened shredded coconut, toasted and cooled

1.      Place the cashews and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse about 7-8 times (until cashews are very finely chopped, but haven’t turned to cashew butter).

2.      Add the ginger, honey and vanilla extract.  Process for about 30 seconds. Scrape the sides and bottom and pulse a few more times, until the mixture forms almost a ball.

3.      Scoop mixture out into a small bowl.  Refrigerate for 1-2 hours.

4.      Line a sheet pan with parchment or wax paper.  Roll cashew mixture into small balls and place on the sheet pan.  Refrigerate for another 1-2 hours.

5.      Melt the white chocolate over a double boiler.  Have the shredded coconut ready in a separate bowl.

6.      Dip each cashew ball in white chocolate and roll around gently using a fork and thin spatula.  Lift the ball out with the fork, allowing excess chocolate to drip off.  Immediately roll it in the shredded coconut and carefully transfer to the sheet pan.

7.      Refrigerate for 1-2 hours before eating.  Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

Copyright © by Susan Cleland.

finely chopped cashews

cashew mixture after ginger, honey and vanilla have been added

you can stop right here and eat these without the coating
(they taste pretty decent, even without white chocolate and coconut)

dip #1

dip #2