I combined these salty, savory little O’s with chocolate, dates & almond butter and put the mixture in silicone pumpkin molds. They are tartelettes meet cookie kind of treats. They have a nice crumb and are topped with a creamy ganache. Eat with a fork or hold in your hand. Hello yum & hello fun! You could use milk chocolate or even white if you prefer. As long as it’s melted and you can put in in your cute molds then use what you like. Tempered chocolate will look the best, but it’s Halloween, just have fun!
Ingredients
•1 1/2 cups Cheerios
•1/2 cup pitted coarsely chopped Medjool Dates
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
•1/4 cup Natural Almond Butter
•one 9.7 ounce bar of Chocolate
•1/4 cup light Coconut Milk or Heavy Cream
Method
Dough/Crust
•Add Cheerios, dates, salt and almond butter to your food processor. Combine well for about 45-60 seconds until you have a fine meal. The "dough" should stick together when you pinch it.
Ganache
•Temper or carefully melt your chocolate in the microwave or in a metal bowl over a simmering pot of water. Take chocolate off heat when melted and add coconut milk or cream. Combine well until creamy and smooth.
Assembly
•Place Cheerios or press bits of dough into the faces in the molds (eyes, nose & mouth) Carefully cover face with a few spoonfuls of chocolate ganache - each pumpkin should be filled about 1/3 with ganache. Put in the refrigerator or freezer until firm, about 20 minutes. Press Cheerios mixture firmly into the molds (over the chocolate) until you have reached the tops of the pumpkins. Chill again in the refrigerator for at about one hour. Gently remove Cheerios Chocolate tarts from the molds.
Variations
•Add a pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice or chai spice to your chocolate or dough mix.
•If you don’t have Cheerios you can try grinding another unsweetened cereal in your food processor.
•Instead of dark chocolate, use milk or white chocolate.
•Instead of almond butter you can try peanut butter, sunflower seed butter, pecan butter, etc.
•Add some extract to your chocolate for added flavor: peppermint, orange, coconut, etc.
thanks to: http://www.familyfreshcooking.com/2010/09/29/cheerios-and-chocolate-pumpkin-tarts-halloween-treats/
