Chocolate HiFi Buddy Balls—Prototype 1:
 
The Orange HiFi Buddy Balls turned out to be a great idea. So why not apply this same approach to Prototype 3 of the Chocolate Bran Buddy Bars: Combine the crust and filling mixtures together, and form into balls. The chocolate ones in this particular shape reminded me of chocolate truffles, although that's not what these Buddy Balls are. But warm one up in the microwave, and the result is a still deliciously soft, chocolate texture!
 
12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate. Heat only until it just becomes fully melted, then mix in...
1/4 cup cocoa powder. Heat this mixture a little more, then blend in, as thoroughly as possible...
1/4 cup skim milk. Heat this mixture a little more, mix it more thoroughly, then gradually combine...
16 oz. lowfat cottage cheese, whipped. Then add...
1 + 1/4 cups sugar. Blend thoroughly, then add...
1 + 1/3 tablespoons vanilla (next to last ingredient here). Blend this in, then finally mix in...
8.8 oz. finely ground Bran Buds. Mix quickly with vigor.

Let resulting mixture sit for at least 5-10 minutes, perhaps even in the refrigerator. Then form into balls. Refrigerate until firm. Makes about 24 (each one close to 1 1/2" in diameter, based upon about 2.1 to 2.2 ounces per ball).
 
Mmmm (especially when warmed up)! The truffles shape (and additional similar characteristics, at least if these "Buddies" are heated) has caused me to come up with this alternative name: "Bran Buffles" (or "Hifi Buffles", although I like Bran Buffles better, perhaps due to alliteration reasons). Alright, what is "Buffles"?! My mind somehow came up with this by contracting "buddy" with "truffles", and this wording has stuck!
 
Orange-Chocolate variation:

Replace the 1/4 cup skim milk with 3 ("touch of orange") to 4 ("possibly overwhelming orange") ounces of orange juice concentrate.
 
I think that 3 ounces of orange juice concentrate is just about the right amount here. These went over very well at the Sports Page.
 
Chocolate HiFi Buddy Balls—Prototype 2:
 
I updated these bran balls to a yogurt cheese version. I sought out plain, nonfat Market Basket yogurt, because I trusted this store brand. But I could not find this exact product stocked at the Market Basket store where I was shopping at the time. So I settled for a vanilla version. Because of this, I reduced the amounts of vanilla extract and sugar added by the Buddy Balls recipe in an effort to compensate for the vanilla and sugar already included in the yogurt.
 
12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup skim milk (heated and combined with the cocoa powder)
16 oz. nonfat vanilla yogurt cheese (derived through straining from 32 oz. of nonfat vanilla yogurt, preferably Market Basket)
7/8 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
8.8 oz. finely ground Bran Buds (last ingredient, mix this one in quickly with vigor)

Let resulting mixture sit for at least 5-10 minutes, perhaps even in the refrigerator. Then form into balls. Refrigerate until firm. Makes about 25-30 (each one close to 1 1/2" in diameter, based upon about 2 ounces per ball).

Chocolate HiFi Buddy Balls—Prototype 2

I prepared these for New Year's Eve as 2013 arrived and brought them to the Italian Community Center in Beverly. Steve's main comment on this recipe: "intense chocolate". Another guest described this one as "decadent".

I also served these treats the following Friday night at Congregation Sar Shalom, my monthly Messianic Jewish congregation, where they were well-received.

Even though no cottage cheese was used in this prototype—just yogurt as the cheese-type ingredient—I did not find any excess tart problems whatsoever with the resulting recipe.
 

Back to my bushy homepage