Holiday Cooking: Apple and coconut bites (AIP)

Delightful bite-sized dessert

Family reunions mean that plenty of cakes baked and consumed. It is tradition, it is a must. I wanted to make sure that the meals are not followed by several types of baked sweets loaded with dairy-egg-gluten-and-sugar. There were plenty of fruit (see post later) between meals to satisfy the need for speed sugar, and I also made sweet bites and ice cream to make sure nobody misses anything.

For the ice cream I have used 2 or 3 ripe bananas (brown spots all over) and two handful of sour cherries (or same amount of beautifully ripened strawberries). I have mashed the ripe bananas with a potato masher and added the pitted sour cherries and 1/2 tsp finely grated fresh ginger. With a bit of more mashing most of the sour cherries were crushed and the ice cream base was ready to go into a freezer-safe box then into the freezer for a good few hours or overnight. I have served it sliced up (basic kitchen, remember?) but an ice cream scoop would give it a classic look. Even the "proper" ice cream lovers loved it!

Then I made these mouthful of sweet treats. It is hard to stop at just one, two, three, or four...

You will need (makes 20):
2 large apples
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 scant tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 to 3 tbsp coconut flour
2 tbsp desiccated coconut
1 cm fresh ginger, finely grated
pinch of Himalayan rock salt
handful of dried sour cherries or raisins

1/2 cup desiccated coconut, for rolling

1. Soak the sour cherries or raisins overnight. Drain and gently squeeze out the excess liquid.
2. Peel the apples. Grate one apple on a large hole side (this will give texture) and the other one on a fine grater side (this will be the binder).
3. In a large mixing bowl combine the ingredients by hand. The dough should be moist enough to stick together. If the apple wasn't juicy enough as a wee splash of water.
4. Make little balls between your palms then roll them in desiccated coconut.
5. Arrange the sweet balls in a glass container, close the lid tightly and put the container into the refrigerator and let it rest overnight.
6. Serve chilled, share and enjoy!