It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…. Well, given how late I’ve left it to write this, it doesn’t just look like Christmas, it actually IS Christmas.
I love Christmas. Winter’s my favourite time of year and Christmas is just the best bit. I like the presents, the decorations, the lights, the time off work (seriously, a sure sign of getting older must be that you look forward to the six days off just as much as the big day), the TV and especially THE FOOD.
Roast turkey, Mum’s bread sauce, mince pies, Wine Gums (if Nan’s staying), amazing leftover sandwiches, Jan’s Boxing Day chilli…. it’s all good. And giving food as gifts is fun, too.
I wanted to make a little foodie gift for all my work friends to go with their cards. Last year I gave everyone tiny decorated sponge cakes and I wanted to do something similar. I decided on chocolate truffles, decorated to look like mini christmas puddings. I made some last year and really liked how they turned out and it also meant that I could use my edible glitter, which is always a plus.
I found a recipe for chocolate truffles on the good old BBC Good Food website, which recommends using all dark chocolate, but I’ve used 125g dark chocolate and 175g milk chocolate, because I find that they can be too bitter.
I will admit, I’ve had to make this twice because I cocked up and forgot to buy butter so used Flora Buttery instead. I don’t know the science, but it seems that the truffles need the fat to set or something because the mixture just stayed really gross and slimy. So use full fat, it’s Christmas!
Christmas Pudding Chocolate Truffles
Makes about 40 truffles
For the truffles:
- 300g good quality chocolate
- 300ml double cream
- 50g unsalted butter
- Bitter cocoa, such as Bourneville or Green & Blacks
For the decorations:
- 125g white chocolate
- Holly sprinkles
- Edible glitter
- Gold petit-four cases
- Chop up your chocolate (I used a demi-lune knife) and pour into a large heat-proof bowl
- Gently heat the butter and cream until the butter melts and the cream starts to simmer
- Remove the cream mixture from the heat and pour over the chocolate
- Stir the chocolate and cream together until you have a smooth mixture
- Leave to set for around 3-4 hours
Once the mixture has set, you can start decorating!
- To shape the truffles, pour the cocoa into a medium sized bowl
- Take a walnut sized spoonful of truffle and roll in your hands to make a ball
- Drop the truffle into the cocoa and roll around to cover and then place in a petit-four case
- Melt the white chocolate in the microwave (much easier than a bain-marie) and then use a teaspoon to dot a tiny amount on top of the truffle, to make the cream on the pudding
- Finish by carefully placing some holly sprinkles on top and then dust over the glitter
I think you’ll agree, they’re pretty effective.
For the packaging, I had grand ideas. I wanted to put four or five into a clear plastic box, very simple and classy. I found the boxes by searching “clear plastic favour boxes” on eBay but it turns out I can’t count or measure though and I bought 35 boxes in totally the wrong size. I ended up just giving everyone one truffle in a little box on the day of our Christmas lunch when we wouldn’t want to eat much anyway. The single truffles actually looked really cute in their Christmassy boxes and made a nice little present to go with the cards.
So that’s that. Tree’s up, cards are written, presents are wrapped and gifts are made. We are ready for Christmas! Ha, not really, so much left to do! I hope everyone has a wonderful time over the holidays and if anyone finds themselves needing 25 favour cases, please let me know.
Merry Christmas!!
Clare xx
@ClareErin
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