CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE BALLS

Aaaah - peace and quiet.

 

Today is the first day since just before Christmas that the kids have really been able to venture outdoors.  My poor hubby has taken them off to the park to try and wear them out - he never succeeds but I'm quite happy to let him try. 

 

I'm just enjoying my 'me' time sitting in my kitchen, looking out the window and watching the sun desperately trying to break through the mass of grey clouds that seem to be forever threatening these days.

 

Of course, at times like this I end up thinking of food.  What will I serve on New Years Eve?  I have to admit that even for someone like me who loves food - I'm struggling to get excited about another over indulgent feast.

 

 

I'm craving something spicy and couldn't possibly eat another creamy, chocolaty dessert. Of course, I'll probably feel different in a couple of days.  Instead of dessert I thought I would make these chocolate truffle balls to have with our coffee after the meal.

 

They are not as rich as the authentic cream and chocolate truffles but are made with crushed biscuits instead.  My Mum has been making these for years and I have changed her recipe slightly by leaving out the coconut and dipping them in melted chocolate.  Most of the flavor will come from the chocolate you choose to dip them in.  My favourite has to be the dark chocolate with Sea Salt Flakes on the top.   

 

For the printable version - click here

Prep time: 20 minutes plus chilling time 

Yield: Approximately 30

 

 

Ingredients

• 400g finely crushed digestive biscuits (http://www.mcvities.co.uk/product/digestives)
• 1 tblsp cocoa powder
• 1 tin (397g) condensed milk
• 125g butter
• chocolate for dipping (approximately 300g)

 

 

Cooking Directions

1. Add the condensed milk and butter to a saucepan and heat gently on the stovetop until the butter has melted.
2. In a bowl, mix the crushed biscuit crumbs together with the cocoa powder.
3. Add the condensed milk mixture to the biscuit crumbs and stir together until well combined.
4. Put the mixture in the fridge for about 1 hour to cool down completely.
5. Roll the mixture into balls (about the size of a walnut) and place on a baking tray which has been lined with baking paper.
6. Return to the fridge to chill.
7. Gently melt your chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water.
8. Using a kebab stick or something similar to hold your truffles, dip them in the melted chocolate and place back on the baking tray.
9. Return to the fridge to chill.

 

        Written by : Angela Darroch

CRANBERRY, ORANGE AND CHOCOLATE PAVLOVAS

I have to confess to never having eaten fresh cranberries before.  Up until recently they have never been grown commercially in the UK so we very rarely see them in the shops and if we do they are normally quite expensive.  Now that they have started growing them in Kent I'm sure they will play a bigger part in our seasonal cooking.  When I spotted them for sale in our local grocery store I decided to try them out.  This dessert was featured in the December issue of Food & Travel and just looked and sounded too good not to try.  It is not a quick dessert to make but it is one that can easily be prepared in advance and would then only take a couple of minutes to plate up.  I did cheat a teeny weeny bit and used tinned mandarins instead of fresh orange and I think it probably added more flavour.  You could of course also use shop bought pavlovas but the chocolate in these make them extra special.  I used a good quality chocolate http://www.lindt.com/swf/eng/products/excellence/orange-intense/

and I think it definitely makes a difference to the end result. 

 

 When I came to make the topping I thought I would taste a couple of the berries to find out what they were like but Oh My Goodness did I get a shock.  They were truly awful and left such a bitter taste in my mouth that I was very dubious about how the topping would taste once cooked.  Once cooked, though they were delicious.  The finished dessert was really delicious and the different textures and flavours were just heavenly.  Although not light in calories it feels light to eat and would be perfect for after a heavy Christmas meal.

 

  Definitely one of my favourites.

 

 

For the printable version - click here

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cook time: 50 minutes

Total time: 80 minutes

 

Yield: 8

 

 

Ingredients

• 100g orange flavoured chocolate
• 4 large egg whites
• pinch of salt
• 225g caster sugar
• 1 tblsp cornflour
• 1 tsp white wine vinegar
• 0.5 tsp vanilla essence
• 150g fresh cranberries
• 4 tblsps orange flavoured liqueur such as Cointreau or Grand Marnier
• 1 large orange, zested then peeled and segmented
• 300 mls double cream

 

 

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat oven to 190 C (325 F) and line two baking sheets with baking parchment.
2. Break the orange flavoured chocolate into a small bowl and melt over a pan of simmering water.
3. Place the egg whites and a pinch of salt in a large bowl.
4. Whisk until soft peaks form.
5. Add the sugar a few tablespoons at a time and whisk well between each addition, reserving 2 tsps of sugar for later.
6. Once the sugar has been added, the meringue should be very stiff.
7. Sift the cornflour over the meringue and fold through very gently.
8. Mix the remaining 2 tsps of sugar with the vinegar and vanilla essence and fold into the meringue until well mixed.
9. Take a tablespoon of mixture at a time and place 4 piles on each tray. Spread out into individual 9cm circles.
10. Drizzle a little melted chocolate over each and swirl gently through the meringue using a toothpick.
11. Place small spoonfuls of meringue mixture around the edge of each circle to build up slightly.
12. Drizzle some more melted chocolate over the meringue mixture and swirl gently with the toothpick.
13. Cook for 5 minutes.
14. Lower the oven temperature to 110 C (225 F) and cook for a further 45 minutes.
15. Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely.
16. Store in an airtight container until needed.

      To make the topping

1. Put the cranberries in a saucepan with the sugar, orange liqueur, orange zest and any juice left behind from segmenting the orange.
2. Heat gently, stirring gently to dissolve the sugar.
3. Cook until the cranberries just start to burst.
4. Cool completely before assembling the meringues.
5. Whisk the cream until it just holds its shape but is still a bit floppy.
6. Pile some of the cream into the centre of each pavlova.
7. Place the orange segments and the cranberry mixture on top of the cream.
8. Top with some chocolate shavings and dust with icing sugar.

       

 

 

WWritten by : Angela Darroch