Energy balls are one of the quickest, easiest and kitchen-friendly snacks to whip up. Once you get the hang of this basic energy balls recipe, you will quickly begin adding, substituting and creating your very own master pieces.
Here are a few notes to consider when experimenting with the basic recipe:
Nut Butters
Different kinds of nut butters have different consistencies. If your nut butter has a runny consistency you may need to add extra dry ingredients.
Do so 1 tsp at a time, so that the mixture does not become too dry.
If it is very dry, add a bit of water to your mix. Again, add the water 1 tsp at a time, keep mixing and make sure you don’t make it too runny.
Honey
Raw honey can be very thick and others very runny. This is largely dependent on the bees, the source of their pollen and the resulting ratio of fructose (runnier) to glucose (thicker and crystallised).
If you only have very thick honey, place it in a container and then place that container in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes. This should make it go softer and more pliable.
SUBSTITUTE:
Maple Syrup – Maple syrup is a great substitute, especially if you are wanting a vegan version. Remember to note the consistency, it can be a lot funnier than honey and you may need to adjust your dry ingredients.
Syrup – Not everyone has honey or maple. In this case, there isn’t anything wrong with using syrup. It will most likely be a lot sweeter and you may want to make them a little smaller to assist with portion control, but the outcome should be fairly consistent.
Mixing Note
Initially, it will seem like the mix will never blend properly, but as you work it, the nut butter and honey will warm and soften. The mixture will begin to clot and then stick together more and more. This makes it difficult to work with a spoon. You may even want to opt to mix with your hands straight off.
As it mixes, less and less will stick to your hands.
Testing Readiness
A mixture that is too dry will break apart and be crumbly. Add a little water 1 tbsp at a time to get the right consistency.
If the mixture is too wet it won’t keep its shape. Add additional dry ingredients 1 tsp at a time, but be sure to mix it in well.
Getting Creative
When you make your energy balls and start seeing the effect of the wet and dry ingredients, you will get a sense of how to adjust the ingredients. When you feel confident about this you can start getting creative by adding nuts, seeds, spices, extracts and whatever else strikes your fancy.
This can be a fun process but realistically, things can go wrong. When trying something new, keep the batch small and remember to make notes as you go along and afterwards.
When trying things out, remember your apron is your lab coat and your EXPERIMENTING. Experimentation is about figuring out what does AND what does not work. Don’t give it up, it’s what makes the kitchen fun.
