Chocolate Almond Truffles

For me, Christmastime has always been the season for candy making.  My mom, my sister, and I would get together every year and make a variety of treats.  Some of them would turn out beautifully, but I think we had at least one failure every year.  If we were attempting divinity, that was guaranteed to be it.  But no matter, because for us, with failure comes laughter.  Well, this year I don’t have my usual candy making companions, but I’ll be making a few things, nevertheless.  Failure on your own isn’t nearly as entertaining, so I decided to start with the always foolproof, ever versatile, and always amazingly delicious, truffle.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 2 cups chocolate
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon almond extract*
• And for rolling you’ll need cocoa, more chocolate, and nuts

I used a combination of milk and dark chocolate.  You can use whatever kind of chocolate you like, just get something good quality. 

Chop the chocolate into fairly small pieces. 

Put that into a bowl and set it aside.  Pour your cream into a pan over medium low heat and stir it until it just starts to simmer around the edges.

Remove it from the stove and immediately pour it over the chocolate. 

If you have little bits poking up, just push them down into the hot cream. 

Cover the bowl and just let it sit for 3 minutes. 

After 3 minutes, add a teaspoon each of vanilla and almond extract.  Now, the reason I put a * next to the almond extract is because you can really add any flavor you like.  If you have good booze on hand like Disaronno, Baileys, Cointreau, or Grand Marnier, any of them would be fabulous.  As would some good espresso.  You’ll want to use more than a teaspoon of any of those, though.  Maybe a Tablespoon or two?  

Whatever you decide, add it and carefully start whisking.  Slowly it will turn from this,

To this.  See how beautifully smooth and shiny it is?  Cover it and put it into the fridge for at least an hour.

While I was working on that, there was a group of men outside building us a fence!  Otto will be so happy, especially when the warm weather returns and he can spend all day out there in the sun without having to be attached to anything.  I’ll love it when he decides to stand out there sniffing randomly forever in 30 degree weather and I don’t have to be out there with him.   

When your truffle mixture is nice and stiff, go ahead and pull it out.  Now you have some decisions to make.   Traditionally, chocolate truffles are meant to resemble the truffles that come out of the ground. 

For that, they’re just rolled in cocoa powder.  Sift some into a bowl.  (you don’t want lumps stuck to you truffles)

Scoop out a small amount of the truffle mixture.  I used a teaspoon, which worked well. 

Roll it into a roundish shape and drop it into the cocoa. 

Roll it around until it is completely coated and then shake off the excess and move it to a parchment lined pan. 

If that’s how you want them, your work is done.  They will be fabulous, just like that.  I, however, decided to make a few different options.  For those, you’ll need some melted chocolate.  So, chop some more and set it aside. 

Before melting the chocolate, you’ll want to prepare your nuts. 

Chop them finely.  I did the first batch by hand, but the second one I threw into the blender on low speed.  I prefer the texture of the nuts I did by hand, but the blender method was much easier. 

Set those aside and back to the chocolate.  Into the microwave for 30 seconds at a time, stirring thoroughly after each session.  Eventually it should become melty, chocolaty goodness. 

Throw one of your balls into the chocolate. 

Using a fork, gently turn it until it’s completely coated. 

Allow the excess to run off then drop each of your chocolate coated balls into your nuts.  (I think I might be getting a little dirtay there.)

Roll the balls around until they’re coated in nuts and move them to a parchment lined sheet pan. 

Here you can see my assortment of truffles.  I have the ones rolled in cocoa, some that are dipped just in chocolate, and then some rolled in almonds and some 2 in pistachios. 

I guarantee these are better than the Lindor or Roche truffles you can buy in the store, and who wouldn’t be proud to put these out?

But when you take a bite, the salty crunch of the almonds followed by the creamy, rich center, you might not want to share. 

What’s your favorite flavor of truffle? 

what day is it

Holiday Mondays have a way of messing with me.

I realized this morning in the way to work (work in the morning means it's Tuesday) that I hadn't done my blog post. I had however, done nearly 50 midterm practice questions, three loads of laundry, and half the dishes. I'm willing to call that a productive day.

Oh, and muffins.

Muffins are in some ways a near perfect food. Much like biscuits, you can whip them up in no time at all, they can be sweet or savoury and you can dress them up of leave them plain. Plus, portable, hand held food.

Chocolate Chip Muffins

What you need:

• 1-1/2 c flour
• 2/3 c sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 egg
• 1 cup plain yogurt with as much fat in it as you can find (or sour cream)
• ~1/4 c melted butter
• 1 tsp vanilla 
• 3/4 cup chocolate chips

Nope, no cinnamon in the picture. That's because I decided to add it as I was mixing. Cinnamon and chocolate are a tasty combination.

What you gotta do:

Put all the dry powdery stuff in a big bowl and whisk it together.

Put all the wet stuff into another bowl, and whisk it.

I know most recipes go into a lot more detail than that when explaining how to make muffins, but really, that's what happens.

Dry in one bowl, wet in the other. This is so easy a 9 year old could do it.

Now, pour the whisked wet into the whisked dry.

And then fold them together with a wooden spoon. It's not a runny "batter" by any stretch of the definition, and really feels kinda like a fluffy cookie dough as you're mixing those last dry bits in.

Along with the chocolate chips.

This makes the perfect amount for 12 muffins, and it definitely sits up like cookie dough in the tins.

I baked mine at... Fuck, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Oh yeah, this is my new oven.

No window. And no light inside either. I'm going to go insane baking cookies. I need to see them! I like to watch the edges spread, and the tops lose their wet look, and see the chocolate melt...

Also, it seems to cook a bit hotter than my last one. Stove elements seem to have more juice too. Amusing since my last one was only 2 years old and this thing is nearly antique. Does "Admiral" even make stoves anymore?

Anyway, bake the muffins at 350 for about 18 minutes. Mine smelled done after 16, and a toothpick came out clean, but like I said, seems to cook a little hot. Plus, the line on the dial is nearly worn off so it's difficult to tell exactly what temp I've set the oven to.

Let them cool in the pan for a few minutes before moving them to a rack.

Freeze in pairs for breakfast throughout the week.

So, are you a peeker? Do you have to see what's going on in your oven?