Make Your Own Chocolate Truffles
Who doesn't love truffles? Here's an easy recipe - make up a big batch, place them in tins or festive cardboard containers with some wax paper and you've got a much appreciated gift.
Basic Recipe:
8oz Chocolate (dark is best, in my opinion. I used Ghirardelli bittersweet this time)
1/2 cup Heavy Cream
Warm up the cream to simmering and pour over the chocolate. Cover with plastic wrap and leave alone for ten minutes, till melted. (If that doesn’t work, pop the bowl in the microwave for about a minute). Mix well—it should look shiny and dark and smooth. Now, pour into a shallow pan (I used a cookie sheet) and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
While you’re waiting for the chocolate to cool, get your toppings ready. We used the following, each in its own small bowl:
- Cocoa
- A blend of ginger, clove and cinnamon spices
- Cayenne Pepper
- Organic Lavender oil
- Sea salt
Here’s where the messy fun starts. Take the chocolate out, and have a couple of pans covered with wax paper ready (this is much easier with two people, by the way). One person scoops up about a teaspoon of the chocolate with a spoon and rolls it in their hands until they have a smooth-ish round. The next person gets to dip the chocolate in the toppings. For the lavender, use one drop only and mush it up with enough chocolate to make about 10-12 truffles.
The results: I thought I’d love the lavender truffles, but there was something strangely conflicting about inhaling the lavender aroma and tasting the dark chocolate at the same time.
The best: the sea salt. Wonderful! The sharpness of the salt is fantastic with the rich creaminess of the chocolate.
Second runner up: the cayenne pepper. Go easy, depending on your love of heat, but I find the more I eat, the spicier I like them.
These make for a great gift, but don’t forget to make some extras for yourself!