Handmade Chocolate Truffles

I haven’t finished buying my presents, I'm the most disorganised I have ever been. Trying to panic buy imaginatively on a shoe string budget is difficult to say the least. Count yourself lucky if I bought your present in advance! The ones still to get are going to be interesting to say the least! I was reading in the papers today about the worst Christmas presents ever which included a brother wrapping up a half used bottle of washing up liquid for his sister and another brother giving his sister a cereal bowl from the kitchen that he just went through and got when it was his turn to hand out gifts... Another boy got a shirt from his uncle in the post, but it was old and worn and not even clean, and brown with brown stripes... haha!

So I must try harder than that. Making things is the answer I think, I have a plan I think, and in case any of you are in the same predicament I thought I'd share these chocolates which I made last year and are pretty tasty, make them boozy and they are even better... You just need some chocolate and some cream and whatever flavours you choose, pop to the shops and start melting...

They are a Nigel Slater recipe that you can mix and match in coatings and flavourings to suit. I made rum, cardamom and plain versions, rolled in icing, chopped nuts and cocoa...

 

Chop 225g of good quality dark chocolate into small pieces and put it into a heatproof bowl. Heat 135ml of cream gently in a pan then when it is hot pour it over the chocolate and stir until it is melted. Put the mixture in the fridge to chill, for about an hour, then remove heaped tablespoons and roll very gently into little balls. Then roll them in cocoa, icing or chopped nuts, chocolate sprinkles or dip them in melted chocolate and leave to harden into a crisp chocolate shell... whatever you fancy... This will make about 25 little truffles.

 

For flavoured truffles add the flavour to the cream while you are heating it. You can use spices; some crushed cardamom seeds, a cinnamon stick or a vanilla pod, allow the cream to cool with the spices still in, then strain it and reheat to add to the chocolate. Or you can add booze, a splash of brandy or rum, whatever takes your fancy. People may enjoy them more than used washing up liquid or dirty shirts...