Delicious Chocolate Truffles

Easy to make, heavenly to eat! Chocolate Truffles

Truffles have an air of debauchery about them - too much, too good - over the lips and straight on the hips. Maybe so, but they are delicious and this recipe is just so easy - it's foolproof.



Ingredients:
  • 275g Dark Chocolate - choose one with a high Cocoa percentage; the higher the cocoa the more bitter the chocolate so experiment, I use 72%.
  • 250ml Double Cream
  • 50g Butter
  • 50g Cocoa powder for dusting

Directions:
Break up the chocolate into small pieces and place in a bowl with the butter. Heat the cream gently to boiling point and pour over the chocolate pieces and butter. Stir until smooth and then stir a bit more!

Set the mixture aside for a few hours to set; three hours or so should do it.

Now the fun bit; for those who like getting Chocolate all over their hands, use a teaspoon to scoop out the mixture and roll it gently between your hands until it forms a ball. the heat from your hands will melt the outside of the truffle leaving a right mess on your hands. if you're not so keen on the messy hands, use a small melon baller to shape the truffles instead.

Drop the truffles into a bowl with the cocoa powder and roll around until the truffle is covered in the powder. Set aside in the fridge for a few hours.

Before eating, remove the truffles from the fridge and allow to warm a little before eating.

Heavenly... and easy.

Variations:

White Chocolate Truffles

Easy - use white chocolate instead!

Liquor Truffles

Add some liquor to the cream - I like Baileys Irish Cream

Nut Chocolate Truffles

Add some nuts to the mixture before it sets - try slivers of almonds, crushed pistachios... what takes your fancy. You can even add Peanut Butter.

Nuttela Chocolate Truffles

Add a tablespoon of Nuttela to the mixture - really delicious with a hint of hazlenut!

Really Easy Fudge

Delicious Chocolate Fudge made easy



Not strictly baking I know but this is so easy and oh sooooo good. Fudge should melt in the mouth but importantly not leave you with a mouth full of sugar crystal. This recipe is fail-safe - my kids love making this.

Lots of stirring required, so doubles as an upper arm workout!





Ingredients:
  • 225g Butter (about 1/2 a pound)
  • 900g Sugar*
  • 1 Tin Condensed Milk
  • 1/2 Tin of full fat milk (used the empty condensed milk tin)
  • 1/2 Teaspoon of vanilla extract
  • 3 Teaspoons of Cocoa powder**

* I use regular sugar but you can also use castor sugar for a more refined and smoother fudge
** This is optional; leave out the cocoa powder and you get vanilla fudge which is just as nice.

Directions:
Over a moderate heat melt the butter with the condensed milk and milk. Add the sugar and allow time to dissolve. Once the sugar is fully dissolved, boil the mixture until the colour changes to a caramel/fudge colour - keep stirring throughout. To test if the fudge is ready, take a spoon and allow a drop to fall into a glass of cold water - if it forms a soft-ball then it's ready.

Take off the heat and stir as the mixture cools. It might take upto 10 minutes for the mixture to thicken - keep stirring.

Once thick, and your arm is really started to ache, pour the mixture into a prepared tin or tray such that the fudge is approx one inch think. Put the tray into the fridge and allow to cool - a few hours should do it.

Cut into cubes or your favourite shape and enjoy.

Note: If the fudge hasn't set enough after a few hours in the fridge then you probably didn't boil it for long enough! Put the semi-set mixture back into a pot over the heat and boil again - no harm done.