A quick, sustainable and no-cook recipe, perfect for four people: a natural dessert, rich in energy and enriched with recovered orange peels

There are times when you crave something sweet, but you don't want to give in to the lure of packaged products, full of refined sugars and unnecessary packaging. That's when a recipe like this becomes special: raw sweets made with dates, hazelnuts, and orange peel. They're little spheres of energy, vegan, raw, and above all sustainable, because they don't require cooking and allow you to use even what's often discarded, like orange peel, transforming it into a precious ingredient.

We offer them because they represent the essence of conscious cooking: a few ingredients, all natural and readily available, that together create a nutritious, aromatic, and almost zero-waste dessert. Preparing them is an act of creativity and care: no complicated tools are needed, just a blender, a little dexterity, and a willingness to experiment.

Ingredients for 4 people

- 200 g of pitted Medjool dates

- 100 g of toasted hazelnuts (preferably local)

- The grated zest of 2 organic oranges (well washed and untreated)

- 2 tablespoons of bitter cocoa powder (optional, for a more intense touch)

- A pinch of cinnamon powder

- A tablespoon of coconut oil or light extra virgin olive oil (only if needed for mixing)

Preparation

The preparation is surprisingly simple and quick. The dates are blended until they form a thick, sticky cream: they serve as the sweet base and natural glue for the dough.

If you're looking for a deeper touch, bitter cocoa and cinnamon will add body and roundness to the flavor. The resulting mixture should be gathered by hand and shaped into small spheres about 3 cm in diameter: pure energy, ready to enjoy, without the oven or long wait. If the dough is too dry, a drizzle of coconut or olive oil will bring it back to the right consistency.

Plating

To showcase them best, place the treats in small recycled or compostable paper baking cups, or arrange them on a dark ceramic plate, garnishing with candied orange peel or a dusting of cocoa powder. A rustic wooden tray will further highlight their connection to naturalness and simplicity. The visual impact, combined with the fresh scent of orange and the sweetness of dates, will captivate even those who have never tried raw desserts.

The wine to pair

Although they're meant to accompany hot herbal teas or a simple coffee, these sweet treats also pair surprisingly well with an organic Passito or a natural Moscato d'Asti : sweet, fragrant, and delicate wines that enhance the natural sweetness of the dates and the citrusy scent of the orange peel. An unusual yet refined pairing, perfect for rounding off a sustainable dinner with a touch of elegance.