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Cognac & Amaretti Truffles

13/12/2014

These Truffles are SO easy and SO delicious that you may not ever need to visit Hotel Chocolat again!

The luxurious combination of smooth cognac and almondy amaretti biscuits is a Christmas in a mouthful.
Special enough to give as a gift... Moreish enough to keep for oneself...

Well it is Christmas...

Super Easy Recipe Instructions - Makes about 40

60g Unsalted Butter
250g 70% Dark Chocolate
125g Double Cream
2 tbsp Cognac/Brandy/Dark Rum
150g Amaretti biscuits, crushed. (Retain a little for decorating)

Melt butter and chocolate together over bain-marie.
Meanwhile, heat cream in separate saucepan to just below simmering
Add melted butter & chocolate to cream and stir well till combined and smooth. **WATCH THE HEAT** at this point - you don't want it to split.
Add the cognac is small increments, stirring all the while.
Stir in the crushed amaretti.
Pour into a tub and refrigerate till set.
When set, use a melon baller or teaspoon to scoop out balls of the mix. Roll if necessary, to shape, then put back in the fridge to firm up before decorating.

Super Fun Decorating Bit

40 x cocktail sticks, plus half an apple/grapefruit, cut side down on a plate to stick in to,
100g each of Milk and White Chocolate - melted
10g approx Amaretti Crumbs (in a ramekin)
And anything else you'd like to use to decorate; Cocoa powder; nibbed hazelnuts; a few strands of coconut; freeze dried fruit powder... Experiment! It's the only way to find new flavour combinations.

Take the cold truffle balls from the fridge. (Take out 10 at a time as they warm up fast.)
Impale a ball on a cocktail stick and coat in chocolate of your choice, using a teaspoon to drench the molten chocolate over. Keep turning for a few seconds as it dries so you have an even coating. Stick into the fruit hedgehog. Scatter a few crumbs of amaretti on top. Repeat!
If you leave off the amaretti you can use any remaining melted chocolate to decorate with contrasting lines or swirls. Or skip the chocolate layer completely and simply roll the truffle balls/shapes in a good cocoa powder. Tres elegant...

Photo courtesy of Tim Pierce https://www.flickr.com/photos/qwrrty/2838741714/?

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Truly Scrumptious Mince Pies

8/12/2014

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Who can resist buttery, crisp pastry, filled with soft and scented vine fruits, all served up with a good dollop of clotted cream..? Not ME!
And really, why would I want to?

A Potted History of the Pie...
Mince pies have been around since the 13th century, when European Crusaders returned from the Middle Eastern with the recipe, originally containing minced meat, fruit and spices... 13 ingredients in total, said to represent Christ and the 12 apostles.
Fortunately, someone along the way thought it might be better without the meat! So we have today the utterly indulgent Christmas treat that we know and love.

For the Mincemeat
I use Delia Smith's Mincemeat recipe - good ol' Delia - but I substitute the suet with with same amount of butter; a) Because its tastes nicer, and b) Because means its vegetarian friendly.

When I come to make a batch of mince pies (x12) I take 400g and add to it;

Half an apple, finely diced
Zest of half a lemon, and
Half a clementine, finely chopped

This gives the mincemeat a little 'lift' so it tastes really fragrant and fruity when you take that first crumbly bite...

For the Pastry

375g Plain flour
260g Unslated Butter; softened
120g Caster Sugar, extra for sprinkling
1 Egg, plus another for glazing (or use milk)

Place the flour and butter in a bowl and rub together to a crumb consistency. Add the sugar and the egg, and mix together. Tip out onto a lightly floured surface and fold until the pastry comes together, be careful not to over mix. Wrap the pastry in cling film and chill for at least 10 mins.
Scoop 400g mincemeat into a bowl and add the clementine, apple and zest.
Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Roll out the pastry to 3mm thick. Using a round cutter (about 10cm), cut out 12 bases and place them into muffin trays. Put 11⁄2 tbsp mincemeat mixture into each. Brush the edge of each pie with a little beaten egg. Re-roll out the pastry to cut 7cm lids and press them on top to seal. Alternatively, cut a star or heart shape and place on top. Glaze with the rest of the egg, sprinkle with caster sugar, then make a small cut in the tops (if using full lids).
Bake mince pies for 15-20 mins until golden brown. Leave to cool before releasing them from the muffin trays and dusting with icing sugar. Serve.

Don't they look pretty!

A Little Note...

You will have some pastry left over...

Make a simple Individual Apple Tart with the other half of the chopped apple.
Slice it thinly, place in layers on the pastry and sprinkle with sugar and nutmeg.
Bake 20 mins.

Tis the Season to be Jolly
Tra la la lala,
La la la la...

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Cognac & Amaretti Truffles

Super Easy Recipe Instructions - Makes about 40

Super Fun Decorating Bit

Truly Scrumptious Mince Pies

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