As promised in my last post, here are a few recipes for the holidays that make perfect gifts... to you or yours!
Orange & Chocolate Truffles
8 ounces Bittersweet Chocolate
1/3 cup Heavy cream
1 tablespoon Espresso Powder
4 tablespoons Butter
1 teaspoon grated Orange Peel
1 or 2 tablespoons Grand Marnier
Cocoa Powder for dredging truffles
Melt the chocolate in the microwave carefully. Add the cream, espresso powder, butter, orange peel, and Grand Marnier. Mix all til combined, then refrigerate for an hour.
When mixture has chilled, dust your hands with cocoa powder and roll teaspoonfuls of the mixture into balls. Dredge in cocoa powder. You may also choose to dip the truffles into melted chocolate first, then dredge in cocoa powder.
Chocolate-Raspberry Truffles (my favorite!)
In a saucepan over low heat, melt together
1/2 cup Heavy Cream
12 ounces chopped Bittersweet Chocolate
1/4 cup Butter, cut into small pieces
Add
1/2 cup Seedless Raspberry Jam
2 tablespoons Chambord
Refrigerate for about 4 hours or overnight. When properly cooled, form into balls , then dredge into cocoa powder or dip into melted chocolate.
Kahlua Truffles
In a saucepan, melt together
2 cups Chocolate Chips
1/2 cup Heavy Cream
1/4 cup Butter
1 Tablespoon Instant Coffee crystals
2 tablespoons Kahlua
Whisk til smooth, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Form into balls and dredge in cocoa powder.
Alright, enough of the truffle recipes! You can have fun with these three and adapt them to suit what you like by varying the liqeurs and flavorings you use! I will include two of my other favorite sweet-tooth recipes for holiday gift-giving, too! Enjoy!
Candied Orange Peel (use organic oranges!)
2 cups orange peel, sliced into 1/2 inch strips
Place peel into a pan and cover with water, bring to a boil , then drain.
In a saucepan, combine the drained peel with
2 cups Sugar and 1/2 cup Water
Heat and stir til sugar dissolves. Cook slowly til peel is translucent. Drain, then roll in granulated sugar. dry on a rack or on a parchment-covered cookie sheet. If you like, dip into or drizzle with chocolate.
Toffee
1 cup chopped Almonds
2 cups Butter
2 cups Sugar
2 tablespoons light Corn Syrup
2 cups Chocolate Chips
6 tablespoons Water
Line a large heavy baking pan with aluminum foil. Sprinkle with half the chopped almonds, set aside. Melt the Butter in a large heavy pot over low heat. Stir in the sugar, water and corn syrup. Cook over medium-high heat til mixture boils; stir and let boil for 4 minutes. Clip a candy thermometer to pan, lower heat to medium, and stir often til thermometer registers 290 degrees... soft crack stage.
Pour into prepared pan, let stand for three minutes, sprinkle the chocolate chips on top, let stand one minute, then sprinkle with the remaining nuts, pressing them into the melted chocolate. Chill and break into pieces. This makes about 1 1/2 pounds of toffee.
