Caramel hearts with a strawberry center and rich chocolate shell make for the perfect Valentine’s truffles–almost as quick & easy to make as to devour!
Sweet. Shaped like hearts. Strawberry jam filled and strawberry dust sprinkled. So silly simple the tutorial video almost felt unnecessary. So speedy to assemble you can probably make them in less time than it takes to read this post. And I wouldn’t blame you for choosing that option, there isn’t any chocolate at the end of reading.
But since you are sticking with me, let’s chat about these sweet-centered bites! From inside to out the layers are: strawberry jam > sticky “caramel” > chocolate shell > strawberry dust. That may sound like a lot of layers after I promised you simple, but there is no flour or food processors or truffle ball-forming required!
You know when you are splitting open a date to pluck out that pesky oblong pit? And you start from the stem side, squeeze, and split it down the middle? And about halfway down the date with a little digging its usually possible to pull the pit out from amidst all those sticky fibers? STOP! Right there. Look at the now partially-split, pit-free date in your hand (because you are doing this with me as you read along, yes?) It’s a perfect heart, don’t you see it!?
And just when I thought dates were as amazing as a fruit could be…something else to add to the Why Dates Are The Most Magical Fruit list. I think this natural heart resemblance discovery helps to offset their natural beetle resemblance problem somewhat too, don’t you?
After you wiggle the pit out of it’s caramel cave, there is plenty of space for squeezing in a fruity jam filling. Since simple is the theme here, I just used my go-to fruit-juice-sweetened strawberry jam. You could use homemade strawberry jam instead, but that will require a bit longer than the 5 minutes I promised. A piping bag is best for this step, or a plastic bag with one corner snipped off works too.
Now that the dates hearts are stuffed with strawberry, a coating of dark chocolate holds all that sweetness inside. For a pop of pink on the outside, magical fairy fruit dust (a.k.a. blended freeze dried strawberries) is the perfect finishing touch before a few minutes in the freezer to set.
Happy sweet heart making!
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5-Minute Strawberry Sweet Heart Truffles
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 10 truffles 1x
Description
Caramel hearts with a strawberry center and rich chocolate shell make for the perfect Valentine’s truffle–almost as quick & easy to make as to devour!
Ingredients
- 10 Medjool dates
- 1/2 cup strawberry jam (homemade or store-bought)
- 3/4 cup chocolate chips
- 1 cup freeze dried strawberries
Instructions
- Spoon the strawberry jam into a piping bag or plastic bag with one corner cut off and set aside.
- In a microwave safe bowl, melt the chocolate chips. Set aside.
- In a completely DRY blender, grind the freeze dried strawberries to a powder. Set aside in a safe and dry place, any moisture will cause the powder to clump.
- Pinch the stem side of one medjool date and pull apart slowly to split the date halfway. Do not go too far or tear the date completely in half. Remove the pit. If you are confused, watch the video for a demo.
- Repeat until all dates are pitted.
- Insert the tip of the piping bag into the cavity where the pit used to be and squeeze to fill with jam. Repeat until all dates are filled.
- Dip each date in melted chocolate to completely coat. Transfer to a plate/pan lined with wax paper.
- Sprinkle with strawberry dust, and chill until the chocolate is set. Enjoy!
- They can stay be kept at room temperature once the chocolate is set, but keep best in the fridge.
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These are so darn cute. I have got to make more date caramel ASAP. I love chocolate covered anything and these look to die for. Also, I really need to try freeze dried fruits! They are always expensive, but I need to just do it and buy some 😀
Oh I know, freeze dried fruit is kind of a rip-off. 5 dollars for a bag that weighs practically nothing haha! That splurge was purely just for pretty photos, caramel and chocolate are the actually important elements 🙂 Thanks Casey!
ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME THIS IS GENIUS!!! Natalie I seriously died when I was reading this, like OMG YES THEY WOULD MAKE A HEART! Cause you know I’m all about dates and find myself in that pit removing process often, and omg I seriously cannot wait to try these. I hope you can sense my enthusiasm because it’s genuine and this idea is so clever and cute I can seriously hardly stand it! Not to mention the flavors…I can’t even imagine how delicious. And of course, oh so perfect for Valentine’s Day. I love that these are super creative and look intensely cute, but like you said the process seems pretty easy! I cannot wait to try this. Did I mention I want to try these? Or that I love them? Or that you’re a genius? Okay I’m done (but seriously!!!!).
Well I am excited all over again now because of your excitement–this is awesome!!!! Hahaha I am definitely sensing it and wish I could send you a batch right now for getting just as excited about this date discovery as I am! The date pitting process is one I am sure you know very well too…keep your eye out for what other cute things they might resemble next time, kay? 😀 I have a feeling it’s going to be a little hard to adjust to the post-Valentines time when we have to post things other than chocolate again. But for now–ALL THE CHOCOLATE!! You are the best, thanks Sara 🙂
I LOVE. And I just happen to have a buttload of dates in the house!! Perfect timing!!
Oooh how lucky are you!! I expect to see some very scrumptious and date-sweetened things showing up on your site soon then 🙂
Ok, these are just PERFECT for Valentine’s Day Natalie! You are on a roll lately with the V-day desserts. I love how simple these are! And well, there is lots of chocolate involved. I love freeze dried strawberries. Even though I don’t like to eat fresh strawberries nearly as much, the dried ones are super yummy and the perfect topping for these major cute treats. I’ve seen all kinds of fillings for dates, but I have to say that jam is the best idea, I mean, that tartness from the jam with the sweetness of the dates is such a wonderful idea. I love that these also would be perfect for a party because they can totally sit out at room temperature!
Hahahaha at the beetle comment! I always think roaches, but either way, yeah you’ve totally hidden that whole bug resemblance with chocolate and strawberry dust, lol! Way to go Natalie! YUM!
I honesty had no intention of doing much for Valentine’s at all on the blog, but the pink and cutesy things are just flowing for some reason. I’ve had so many comments from people saying they are going to swap the jam for nut butter instead, which sounds delicious, but I love the fruity tartness of the jam and freeze dried next to all that sweetness too! Hahaha I was going to say roaches but even typing it grossed me out too much, that’s why I opted for beetles. I don’t want to completely destroy everyones’ appetites right before the recipe 😀 Thanks Brandi!
These are soooo beautiful Natalie! I love the heart shapes! They are the most perfect treat for valentines day! I love how quick they are to make too. My mouth is watering just looking at the pictures. I will definitely be making these over the weekend 🙂 <3
As if truffles weren’t easy enough already, right!? But I love how small but decadent they are 🙂 Thanks Harriet, and have a wonderful weekend!
Oh my goodness! You are seriously such a clever young lady! How cute are these hearts and wow so easy to make! I wish I could buy Medjool dates here just to make this delicious treat. Thanks for the inspiration, Nat 🙂
No dates there!?! I don’t think I realized that, they would be really tricky to try and make with the smaller ones. Ah well, I’m sure you have plenty of sweet homemade Valentine’s treats to indulge in still though! As bloggers there is somehow never a shortage of those 🙂 Thanks Ela!
So inventive! I love that you keep the integrity of the dates rather than blending them up. The reshape as hearts so perfectly =)
So much easier and less cleanup compared to blending them into a bliss-ball type mix too 🙂 Thanks Ashley!
I LOVE your use of freeze dried strawberries…makes everything look so pretty pink and they taste good too! my kids love it in their cereal! I have heart shaped ice cream bites coming to the blog today, and they sure could’ve used a few sprinkles of those freeze dried strawberries to make them look pretty haha =)
Can we trade truffles please? Because I am REALLY craving your ice cream ones now, they are perfect. And I’m actually jealous of your adorably perfect heart sprinkles too haha! We think sort of alike–if we lived closer a truffle swap would definitely be in order 😀
These are the cutest lil’ treats i have ever seen! Oh the caramely, chocolatey strawberry goodness that these have, YUM! <3
Awww thanks girl! Mmmm the center is so uber fruity and gooey and all those messy marvelous delicious things 🙂
This is such a cute and fun idea! I love spreading nut butter on dates, and this just takes it to the next level! Happy Valentine’s Day, Natalie!
That is an addictively good combo! And I certainly wouldn’t be mad about peanut butter in the center of these either 🙂 Like PB&J…sorta. Thanks Nisha!
Wait a minute, there’s no chocolate at the ending of this reading?? But as your bestie, there *will* be chocolate, just for me, riiiight? 😉 Okay, OMIGOSH, you did not just make a heart out of a split-open date. It’s official, you NEED to write a cookbook that has dates in the title. Maybe it could be call The Magical Date Cookbook by The Magical Natalie, of the Magical Feasting on Fruit. As long as you get to say magical like 500 times and promise me the first copy, then it’ll be a NYTimes bestseller. Lol. 😉 But seriously, write that book–I shall be the first to buy, read and drool all over it. Then, buy an additional copy bc the first is now soiled. Hmm… Anywho, this recipe is amazing and it sooo makes me wish we lived near each other so we could make all the sweets for a Happy Galentine’s Day! 😉 <3 xoxo Love ya.
While you are reading I need you to pick up your laptop, start walking towards the kitchen (carefully of course, reading while walking is dangerous!), grab the chocolate chips that I know you have in there somewhere, melt them, pour them into the cutest mold possible, and put them in the fridge. Okay now read on and by the time you are done there will be chocolate just for you at the end? How’s that for improvising?? Well duh, of course “magical” needs to be in the title! Now just have to find a publisher who sees it our way…? The first magical copy is all yours my dear! Happy almost Valentine’s Day❤️ xoxo