Gingerbread bites - Piparpallot

If you love eating raw gingerbread dough (I'd say not to trust anyone who prefers baked gingerbread to dough), you'll love these gingerbread bites too. It tastes exactly like raw gingerbread dough, but is much easier for your stomach! These are also a perfect treat to give as a present: they are vegan, gluten-free (if you choose gluten-free oats), have no added sugar [and did I already mention: extremely addictive (like real gingerbread dough, but healthier)].

I love Christmas and its preparations, the festivity and the feel of waiting. How early do you start to preparing for your Christmas? This post starts my annual Christmas series on the blog! If you're a Christmas addict as I, please remember to subscribe to my Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest or via RSS to not miss any posts!

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Gingerbread Bites

~20 pieces

200 g (=18-20) fresh, soft dates
100 ml rolled oats (can be instant type, too)
50 ml toasted and de-skinned hazelnuts
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cardamom

Measure everything except the dates to a food processor. Grind the ingredients into fine powder (it doesn't matter if some hazelnut pieces remain). Remove the stones from the dates. Add half of the dates and process until they have broken to small pieces (at this point it's quite dry still). Add the rest of the dates and process until a ball forms. Roll the dough into bitesize pieces in your palms. You can serve them as is, or roll them in crushed hazelnuts or decorate them with a whole hazelnut. They can be eaten straight away, but I find the texture becomes better and the flavours enhance after 1 day in fridge. They keep at least a week in fridge (that is, if not eaten before...)

Adapted from Helsingin Sanomat.

Piparpallot

~20 kpl

200 g tuoreita, pehmeitä taateleita (18-20 kpl)
1 dl kaurahiutaleita
1/2 dl paahdettuja ja kuorittuja hasselpähkinöitä
1 tl kanelia
1 mmt (1/4 tl) inkivääriä
1 mmt (1/4 tl) kardemummaa

Mittaa taateleita lukuunottamatta kaikki ainekset monitoimikoneeseen. Jauha ainekset hienoksi (ei haittaa vaikka osa hasselpähkinöistä jäisikin vähän karkeaksi). Poista kivet taateleista. Lisää puolet taateleista monitoimikoneeseen ja anna koneen käydä, kunnes taatelit ovat hajonneet (tässä vaiheessa massa on vielä melko kuivaa). Lisää loput taatelit ja anna koneen käydä, kunnes massasta muodostuu pallo. Pyörittele taikinasta suupalan kokoisia palloja. Voit tarjota ne sellaisenaan tai pyöritellä ne esim. pähkinärouheessa tai koristella kokonaisella kasselpähkinällä. Maku ja koostumus paranevat, jos annat niiden levätä jääkaapissa yhden päivän, mutta voi ne nauttia hetikin. Säilyvät ainakin viikon jääkaapissa (elleivät tule syödyksi ennen...).

Mukailtu HS:n ohjeesta.

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