Cognac & Amaretti Truffles

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...

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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/?