All Info About Chocolate Recipes

posted by Carol on Nov 19

Makes about 20 - 30 truffles, depending on size. Although you and your family will love to eat these, they also make ideal gifts. Put them in a pretty box and anybody will be pleased to receive them.

Chocolate Truffles

Ingredients
250g/10oz good quality plain (semi-sweet) chocolate
250ml/8 fl oz double (heavy) cream
40g/1-1/2oz unsalted butter
3 tbs brandy, rum or other liquer to flavour

Coatings
You use one of these:
Chocolate vermicelli (sprinkles)
Cocoa powder
Finely chopped hazelnuts, walnuts, pistachios or almonds
Icing (confectioners) sugar

Method
1. Break the chocolate into small pieces. Bring the cream to the boil in a saucepan then remove from heat and add the broken chocolate. Stir until it melts, then stir in the butter and allow it to melt completely. Add the brandy or other liquer and make sure it is well mixed.

2. Pour the mixture into a bowl and, when cool, cover with clingfilm (Saranwrap) then refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.

3. Line a baking sheet with non-stick paper. Using a teaspoon or a melon ball maker if you have one, make 20 to 30 balls from the chilled chocolat mixture, placing each one on the baking sheet.

4. Put the cocoa, icing sugar, cocoa powder, vermicelli or nuts on to separate plates, if you are using more than one kind of covering. Roll the truffles in whichever you choose. Doing a variety looks very good.

5. You can also dip the uncovered chocolate in melted chocolate (use a skewer or cocktail stick) instead of the other coverings to give a smooth chocolatey appearance. For best results, freeze the truffles before coating them in melted chocolate.

6. Allow the truffles to chill.

7. Present them in little truffle paper cases or piled up in a dish or on a plate. They keep in the refrigerator for about 10 days or you can freeze them for about 8 weeks. This usually isn’t a problem because 20 or 30 can be eaten by a family of four in about 2 hours normally!

posted by Carol on Nov 19

Makes about 24. This is another chocolate nibble that makes an excellent gift for Christmas, if you can persuade you family not to eat them first!

Ingredients
Pieces of fruit, e.g. strawberries, cherries, prunes, grapes, oranges, nectarines, dried peaches, apricots, etc
115g/4oz white chocolate
115g/4oz plain (semi-sweet) chocolate

Method
1. Clean, peel and cut the fruit into small pieces or segments, as appropriate.

2. Line a baking sheet with non-stick paper.

3. Keeping it separate, break the two kinds of chocolate into small pieces.

4. First melt the white chocolate (see techniques) then allow it to cool, stirring frequently. Take each piece of fruit and dip about halfway into the white chocolate. Let the excess chocolate drip off, then place on the covered baking sheet. Chill in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes.

5. Melt the plain (semi-sweet) chocolate, allow to cool as before. Take the dipped fruit and dip again in the plain chocolate but angling the pieces so part of the white chocolate is covered with the dark chocolate. The finished fruit will then have three different colours - white, dark brown and the natural colour of the fruit. Again chill to allow the chocolate to set. Serve the fruit at room temperature.