With Valentines Day just around the corner, I thought I'd share a very simple yet delicious recipe, that you can make easily at home with the kids or for that special person in your life! Taking the time and effort to make this yummy Valentine treat is a lovely way to show someone just how much you really care!
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| Cooking something yummy for the One you Love can bring more happiness than buying it! |
These little home-made Chocolate Truffles are so easy to make. Beautifully balanced with a hint of bitter coffee and sweet Irish Baileys Cream, these rich little delicacies melt in your mouth. They taste divine and the secret ingredient is simply that big dollop of Tender Loving Care!
My Ingredients:
600g 70% Dark Chocolate broken in small pieces
75g Cocoa Powder
35ml Cold Espresso or strong coffee
35ml Baileys Cream Liqueur
250ml Fresh Cream
Cocoa Powder, grated Coconut, ground Almonds or any nuts, or Cake crumbs etc, for coating.
Method:
1. Melt chocolate together with the cream. You can do this in a bowl sitting over a pot of simmering water. Don't let any water get into your chocolate or it will go into a masse from which there is no return! You can also melt the chocolate, very slowly, in the microwave. Give it 30 seconds and then stir, 30 seconds and then stir... until it is melted. Don't let it burn!
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| Make sure the bowl sits above the water level |
2. Take the chocolate off the heat. Mix together the cocoa powder, cold coffee and Baileys and quickly stir this liquid mixture into the melted chocolate.
3. You have just made what is known as a "Chocolate Ganache" (if you were to let this cool a little, at this stage, it could be used for pouring over a cake as a covering.)
4. Cover the bowl with cling film and put it in the fridge until cold. This will take 1 hour or so. You can leave it overnight if you wish as you long as everyone can avoid the temptation to steal little spoonfuls!
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| Dip the spoon in hot water and dry it, before scooping out the ganache |
5. Give the mix a good stir with a wooden spoon before you start to measure it out with a warm teaspoon. Dip the spoon in hot water and always dry it before scooping out the mix. When you have them all done, roll them with your hands, into little balls and refrigerate again for 1 hour.
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| Simply and tasty - Chocolate & Baileys Cream Truffles |
6. Finally roll your Truffles in the coatings of your choice. This is best done by having your crumbs, cocoa, almonds or whatever all sitting in separate soup bowls so you can literally 'roll' the ball around in the coating.
Simple, yummy, great to make with the kids if you have some and gone before you know it!
Happy Valentines Day
Zack
Zack