truffles

MILK CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES Ingredients

1 lb milk chocolate cut into small pieces

4 fl oz Bailey's Irish Cream

6 fl oz heavy cream

3 oz unsalted butter cut into small bits

• 1. Make truffle base: Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over simmering water. When the chocolate is almost melted, turn off the heat and let stand until completely melted.

  2. In a small saucepan, bring the bailey's and cream just to a simmer.

  3. Set melted chocolate on side of stove and whisk in the alcohol mixture just until combined.

  4. Place the small bits of butter around the chocolate mixture and let melt. When completely melted, stir to incorporate. Pour mixture into a shallow pan, giving you a 1-inch-thick layer of chocolate. Refrigerate or freeze.

  5. Form truffles. Take a teaspoonfull and form into a ball. If your not going to dip roll in chocolate powder.

To cover:

• 1. Once cold melt aprox. 6oz dark chocolate in the microwave. Do not leave for too long else it will burn. Take it out after 1min. and stir to distribute the heat and melt the large pieces. I use the microwave because then the melted chocolate is not very hot thus doesn't melt the truffle. The thinner you want the coating the hotter the chocolate should be. Dip truffles into melted chocolate either using a fork or chopsticks. Place on parchment paper and refrigerate.

  2. To do the swirls melt white chocolate and drizzle over the truffles.

uncoated chocolates can be frozen for up to 3 months

spago

RUM AND RASIN TRUFFLES (using a mold)

Ingredients:

1 cup raisins (aprox.)

1 cup rum (aprox.)

1 lb milk chocolate cut into small pieces

4 fl oz dark rum

6 fl oz heavy cream

3 oz unsalted butter cut into small bits

1lb semi-sweet chocolate

• 1. To make "drunken raisins": Pour rum over raisins (to cover). Either leave to soak over night or micro-wave for 30 sec., cover, and allow to soak for at least 1 hour.

  2. Roughly chop the raisins.

  3. Make truffle base: Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over simmering water. When the chocolate is almost melted, turn off the heat and let stand until completely melted.

  4. In a small saucepan, bring the rum and cream just to a simmer.

  5. Set melted chocolate on side of stove and whisk in the alcohol mixture just until combined.

  6. Place the small bits of butter around the chocolate mixture and let melt (you might need to poke the butter a bit so that it all melts. If its not completely melted the truffles will have a slightly different texture). When completely melted, stir to incorporate.

  7. Stir in the raisins.

  8. Melt some semi-sweet chocolate (can be done in the micro-wave). Spoon some into your mold and whirl it around on the back of a coffee spoon (depends on the size of your mold) so that the mold is completely covered. Drop in some truffle to almost fill the hole. Cover with chocolate and smooth with a spatula. Refridgerate until the truffles drop out (you might need to lower the temperature in your fridge). DO NOT freeze covered truffles they will get either sticky or discoloured. You may also use the method suggested in the milk chocolate truffles to roll or dip.

BLUEBERRY TRUFFLES

Ingredients

2 pints fresh blueberries

10 tbsp sugar

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1 lb milk chocolate cut into small pieces

6 fl oz heavy cream

3 oz unsalted butter cut into small bits

few drops of blueberry extract or essence

• 1. Place washed blueberries into a heavy bottomed pan on medium heat. Add 1tbsp water, sugar and lemon juice. Cook until the blueberries let out their juice and are easily mushed. Mush the blueberries as best as you can with a spoon as they cook. Do not let the sugar caramalise.

  2. Use a blender or food processor to pulp the blueberries. Then pass them through a sieve. To remove the seeds you need a very fine sieve (maybe a muslin bag would work).

  3. Make truffle base: Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over simmering water. When the chocolate is almost melted, turn off the heat and let stand until completely melted.

  4. In a small saucepan, bring the essence and cream just to a simmer.

  5. Set melted chocolate on side of stove and whisk in the cream mixture just until combined.

  6. Place the small bits of butter around the chocolate mixture and let melt. When completely melted, stir to incorporate. Stir in the blueberry pulp.

  7. Proceed as either in the milk chocolate truffle or rum and raisin truffle recipe above.

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