Chocolate Stars (no cooking)

   I came across this recipe; I tried it out of curiosity to see how all the ingredients would mix together without cooking.... The result: it works & it is very tasty & very easy.

Ingredients:
250g Ground Almonds
150g Caster Sugar
120g Dark Chocolate ( or Milk Chocolate)
2-3 tbsp Brandy
2-3 tbsp Water

Melt chocolate. Mix all ingredients in together to make soft dough.

Roll out the dough about ¾ cm thick and cut out stars (or any shape you like). Place the cookies on a baking sheet & let them dry overnight. 
 Yummy! Enjoy!

Baileys White Chocolate Truffles

  One of my favorite Truffle recipes...

Ingredients:

125g Belgian White Chocolate
2 Tablespoon Double Cream
2 Tablespoon Irish Cream
2 Tablespoon Butter

Flaked Almond for coating ( optional)

Coarsely chop the chocolate. Melt Chocolate and butter.remove from heat. 
Add the cream and Baileys. Mix well. Chill the chocolate mixture 1-2 hr.
Spoon out a bit of mixture; shape into ball. Roll in flaked almonds.
Keep refrigerated until serving.

Truffes aux Dates a la Me’me’ ( Me’me’’s Dates Truffles)

     Christmas Truffles that Me’me’ used to make.

Ingredients:

2 cups Dates pitted & chopped
1/2 cup Walnuts chopped
1/2 cup Rice Crispies (or crushed biscuits)
2 tbsp Butter

A handful of Rice crispies crushed  for coating ( optional)
 

Put dates and butter in microwave for 30 sec, so dates become soft & easier to knead. Add walnuts and rice crispies and mix all together. Using a small spoon, scoop up a bit of the mixture; roll into small ball.

  It can be served as it is, or can be coated with some crushed rice crispies.  

Chill before serving. Sahtein!

White Chocolate TuttiFrutti

    This is my favourite white chocolate recipe. I have been making it every Christmas for the last few years.

Ingredients:

200g White Chocolate
50g Butter
6 Rich Tea Biscuits (Biscuit Marie)
6 Glace Cherries
2 Tablespoon Raisins
1 teaspoon Cut Mixed Peel (candied citrus peel)

Melt White Chocolate and butter in microwave for 30 sec, stir once then put back in again for 30 sec. Repeat until chocolate completely melted.
Stir mixture together until smooth & set aside to allow to cool. In the meantime, cut the glace cherries into pieces.  Crush the biscuits into little pieces using your hands.  Stir the biscuits and the rest of ingredients into the melted  chocolate. Chill for 30 min.

Tear off a sheet of cling film. Place half of the mixture on a sheet of cling film, shape into long sausage & then wrap it up with cling film. Put it in fridge to firm up. Unwrap and carefully cut into 1 cm thick rounds.

Truffes aux Marrons a la Me’me’ (Me’me’‘s Chestnut Truffles)

       Every Christmas, Me’me’ use to make these truffles & we were only allowed
 1 or 2 because they were saturated with Brandy!

Ingredients:

400g Chestnut peeled and crushed (or Chestnut puree)
200g Chocolate Dark (or Milk or both)
50g Butter
3 Tablespoon Double Cream
5 Tablespoon Icing Sugar
2 Tablespoon Rum or Brandy (or more if you prefer stronger in alcohol)

Sifted Cocoa Powder for coating.

Break chocolate into pieces & melt it with butter and milk. Add icing sugar, chestnuts and Rum. Let it cool; Put in fridge for 30 mins. With a small spoon, scoop up a bit of the mixture; roll into small ball; dip into the cocoa powder and coat thoroughly. Chill for 1-2 hrs before serving.

If you like, decorate with dusting of icing sugar.

The truffles will keep in an airtight container for up to 1 week in the fridge (never lasted that long in my fridge!)

Christmas Truffles

    One of the family tradition during Christmas  is Truffles. My aunty use to make delicious Chestnut Chocolate Truffles & Dates Truffles. I added to the tradition : White Chocolate Baileys Truffles & White Chocolate TuttiFruti. Trying to decide which one to make this Christmas,  I made a bit of each......

Recipes to follow...

Apricot Truffles

I was looking into a different recipe of truffles and I came across this recipe and I had to try it....It is really good & healthy!

Ingredients:

100g ready to eat Apricots (dried - no soak)
40g Cut Mixed Peel ( Candied Citrus Peel)
50g Walnuts chopped
50g Raisins or Sultanas
1 tablespoon Orange juice or Orange liqueur

Chop the Apricot into small pieces, and mix all the ingredients together.  With a small spoon scoop up a bit of the mixture, roll into balls.

Roll the balls in dried coconuts or sesame seeds.