Dutch Marzipan filled Gingerbread Pops [ 119cal. / raw ]

These soft gingerbread like tasting Dutch marzipan filled gingerbread pops are truly a Dutch traditional december food which grown-ups and children just love. This is a quick recipe to make, gluten free and sweetened with dates. Raw, that is what makes it different from the store bought option and the reason why it is actually a healthy snack. The raw bit is an important part when using nuts and seeds.

These contain a type of amino acid called asparagine and baking or roasting the nuts can cause this amino acid to transform into a dangerous substance known as acrylamide. It is high temperatures and the presence of certain types of sugar that cause this transformation. According to the National Cancer Institute, acrylamide is suspected to be highly carcinogenic.

Dutch Marzipan Filled Gingerbread Pops [ approx. 20 / 119cal. ]

• 2 cups almond flour or a mixed nut flour, half almonds / half walnuts is also great combination
• 5 soft dates, to taste
• 2 tsp. gingerbread spice
• tiny pinch of pink salt
• 1 or 2 Tbsp. of water if the dough seems too dry

Put all the ingredients in a foodprocessor fitted with a S-blade and let it form a dough that sticks together  in a ball.

Marzipan Filling,

• 50 grams almond butter, preferably white, 1/4 cup
• 50 grams almond flour, 1/2 cup
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp. date syrup, to taste
• tiny pinch of pink salt
• more almond butter if too dry, more almond flour if too soft
• a few drops of almond essence, optional

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and kneed it until it forms a dough. This can be eaten as it is, you can form balls and roll them in cacao powder or press half of a walnut on top as decoration.

I make the pops starting with the marzipan filling witch I roll a small ball, let it stiffen up a bit and then add the outer layer, the soft gingerbread dough. Roll them in chopped almonds and then back in the fridge. You can also cool them first and dip them in melted chocolate.

Soft Gingerbread Slices with Marzipan & Chocolate

Homemade Chocolate

• 3 Tbsp. raw cacao powder
• 2 Tbsp. brown rice- or maple syrup, agave- and date syrup would be the raw options
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1/4  cup cacao butter
• tiny pinch of pink salt
• 1 Tbsp. mesquite or lucuma powder, optional, adds a caramel-like taste
• ½ tsp. vanilla powder

Melt the cacao butter au-bain-marie, ones soft add in the coconut oil and stir until soft. Off the heat, add in the remaining ingredients. You can also make this with only the coconut oil, the only difference is that it will get soft quick when not refrigerated.

Press the gingerbread dough into a lined baking dish, cool it. The marzipan is the next layer, press it on top, cool it again and pour the melted chocolate on top. If you cool the layers first the chocolate will become quicker slice-able. Place it back in the fridge and when set slice it with a sharp,may be warm knife in pieces.

The quick version is melting a bar of pure 85% dark chocolate, can be raw, and use it as described above.

Njoy and let me know if you tried it,

Tina x

ps. this are the more traditional, baked “pepernoten”