Think peppermint patties, but fruit-flavored instead!
Ingredients
1/2 cup
Freeze dried strawberries
2 1/4 cup
Powdered/icing sugar
3 tbsp
Soy shortening
1 tbsp
Coconut cream
(as needed)
1 tsp
Vanilla extract, pure
(or paste)
1 1/2 cup
Dairy-free mini chocolate chips
1 tbsp
Soy shortening
(for chocolate coating)
Instructions
Place the strawberries in a spice grinder and process until powdered, about 30 seconds.
Sift the powdered sugar and powdered strawberries into a medium mixing bowl.
Add shortening, coconut cream, and vanilla. Beat on low speed with a hand mixer (to avoid clouds of powdered sugar!) until crumbs form. Pinch the crumbs together to see if they are cohesive. If not, add more coconut cream, only as needed. It will still be crumbs, and look a little dry, but will come together when pressed.
Bring the crumbs together with your hands, kneading them lightly to form a cohesive dough. The warmth of your hand will also make it softer and more pliable.
Place the dough on a sheet of parchment paper. Top it with another sheet of parchment paper, and roll it out to roughly ¼-inch thickness.
Using a small 1½-inch biscuit cutter, or a small cookie cutter that isn't too intricate, cut the dough into shapes and place them on a parchment-lined sheet.
Reroll the scraps and repeat steps 5 and 6 as needed to use up the dough. (See Freezer Note below)
Chocolate coating: Put the chocolate chips and shortening in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat on high for 30 seconds and stir. Heat on high for another 30 seconds and whisk until smooth. If lumps remaining, heat in 15-second intervals until the chocolate is just melted. Do not overheat.
One by one, drop the strawberry filling pieces into the chocolate, flip to coat, and remove with a fork to let excess chocolate drip off. Return the chocolate-covered patty to the parchment paper.
Place the sheet with the patties in the freezer for 20 minutes, or until the chocolate is set.
Store the strawberry patties in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for longer. They can be stored at room temperature for 1 day. The freeze-dried strawberries take on moisture so you don't want to leave them at room temperature for too long.
Notes:
Coconut-Free Option
You can substitute your favorite allergy-friendly milk beverage, but start with just ½ tablespoon and add more only as needed. See the Recipe Tips in the post above.
Freezer Note
If the filling is a little soft, you can freeze the sheet while you prepare the chocolate, or for 20 minutes. This will cause the chocolate to set up more quickly when you dunk the filling. So you might need to reheat the chocolate as you dip, or use a double boiler set up to keep it melted.
Substitutions
You can use freeze-dried bananas, blueberries, or raspberries for other chocolate-covered flavors.
