Dates, 6 large, pits removed, soaked in a bit of water for half an hour, then diced up.

Oranges, 4, tiny mandarinees or tangeritas or whatever the word is, peeled and chopped.

Flavoring mix: bitter cocoa powder, 1/2 tsp or so. Cinnamon. Vanilla, alcohol-free. Teaspoon of coconut cream (optional, for softer fluffier texture).

Coconut, unsweetened flaked. The package is 8 ounces, but this was more like 7 ounces because I put some on my oatmeal last week.

Spin coconut in Cuisinart until it’s all powdered down and just starting to stick together. Add flavoring and spin some more. Add orange and date pieces. Spin until mixture sticks together in a clump.

On a sheet of wax paper, pat dough into a firm ball. Wrap it in the wax paper. Press down into a small bowl. Pop into the freezer for an hour. Then unroll and slice it, or roll into little balls. Put it back in the freezer, and serve at dessert time. It’s handy that for upcoming social events you can freeze this in advance.

This is for anyone at the party who is cutting out refined sugar. The coconut is the central ingredient. (But spinning raw almonds, soaked and peeled, should work too.) Overall, a very versatile recipe. Substitute anything for anything. This doesn’t give the usual spike hit of sugar because there isn’t any. But when it’s chewed a while it tastes sweet, and the healthy fat and fiber give it a satisfying feel. I brought this to Angelina’s tonight, and the guests were fine with it.