Chocolate Truffles

It's always delightful to present your loved ones with a box of chocolate truffles, but that's not to say you have to buy them. Making your own chocolate truffles is not only very easy, but relatively inexpensive compared with the boxed versions available to purchase. They are also of course almost irresistibly delicious and surprisingly flexible when it comes to flavours and coverings. Although I've kept mine simple, you could flavour with vanilla, orange or even a dash of booze and cover with anything from crushed pistachios to sea salt.

Although this recipe is straightforward there are a few points worth noting. The chocolate is the star of the show here, so it is definitely worth investing a pound or two extra in high quality bars. You will definitely notice the difference. Also, take care when heating the cream that you don't leave the heat up too high or you may find it scorches on the bottom of the pan. Finally (I only mention this as it has happened to me more than once) if you find the chocolate splits then just add a splash of cold water and whisk with vigour. You should find the mixture comes back to being smooth again after a minute or so of whisking.

Prep time: 20 Mins (Plus chilling time)
Baking time: No baking this time!
110ml Double Cream
200g Dark Chocolate (Cut into tiny cubes, like gravel)
15g Unsalted Butter (Cut into a small cubes)
1-2tbsp Cocoa Powder

Ready... steady... go! Add the cream to a small saucepan and slowly bring up to a simmer. At the same time add the dark chocolate and butter to a large heatproof bowl. Once the cream is just simmering, remove from the heat, leave for 30 seconds then pour over the chopped chocolate. Leave for a minute or two to melt, then stir together until smooth and glossy. Place the bowl in the refrigerator for around 1 hour to chill, then bring back out.

Tear off a sheet of baking parchment and place on a large plate, then on a separate plate dust over the cocoa powder. Take a small amount of the truffle mixture, shape (I don't tend to shape too much as I like them to look rather rustic) then roll in the cocoa powder. Place on the baking parchment and repeat for the rest of the mixture. Cover the cocoa dusted truffles and return to the fridge for another hour or so to finish setting and they are ready to box up and present to your friends and family. Lucky them!