Party tip: set up a "make your own truffles" bar! Make the truffles in advance, then provide guests with a selection of toppings and allow them to create their own chocolate confections. This is perfect for cocktail parties or served as dessert following a sit-down dinner.
From Laurie Flarity-White, promoter of small farmers through the UMCOR Coffee Project with First United Methodist Church in Wenatchee, Washington, and promoter of solar cars.
Makes about 3 dozen cookies.
Brw coffee. If using a homebrewer, brew with one and a half the regular amount of ground coffee. Let sit 2 hours, chill in refrigerator or freezer.
Serves one (16 oz.)
Prepare your dippables by chopping them into bite-sized cubes (except bananas). Place in refrigerator.
Heat 1/2 cup of cream over medium heat in a non- reactive pot until it comes to a light boil. Remove from heat and add in chopped Equal Exchange chocolate bars. Allow them to melt for 3 or 4 minutes and then whisk chocolate and cream mixture together. Add chopped almonds and stir (optional).
Transfer melted chocolate to a fondue pot and serve. If mixture starts to become more solid you can add additional cream, 1 tablespoon at a time to bring it to your desired consistency.
Sift flour and salt into a bowl. Using a pastry blender, cut in 2/3 of the shortening until the mixture resembles very fine crumbs. Cut in the remaining shortening coarsely. Do not overwork. Sprinkle with cold water, and stir with a fork until it clumps together, adding more water if necessary. Squeeze into a ball, then roll out on a floured board. Transfer to a 9-inch pie plate.
Preheat oven to 350F. Combine dry crust ingredients first to ensure good mixture, add in melted butter mixing with a fork until everything is moistened. Press mixture into a 10" springform pan, bringing a uniform thickness throughout and then up the walls. Bake on middle rack for 8-10 minutes. I place a cookie sheet 1 rack under in case of dripping. Leave oven on.
Place bananas on a foil lined cookie sheet on the middle rack of the oven. Bake at 350F till the top turns almost black (about 10 minutes) take them out and turn them over and continue baking until that side also turns black (about another 10 minutes). When finished roasting, remove from oven, allow cooling.
Contributed by Eugene Hasse, Woods Cross, UT
Contributed by Carol Wasserman, Chappaqua, NY
Should make 24 coconut balls, but you can make them smaller or larger and change the quantity.
Contributed by Coleen Shaull, West Bloomfield, MI
