We’re growing up for Day 5 of the Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies.  Dark Chocolate Brandy Truffles to add some decadence to your Christmas treats. Pour a drink, grab a truffle or two and enjoy the season.

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Who Loves Truffles

It’s been years since I’ve made truffles.  And I love no bake treats like my Two Ingredient Chocolate Peanut Clusters. So, when I got into my head that I would make them for the Christmas Cookie Countdown, I started trying to remember when I made them last.  Well, it was 2009 for a Christmas party.  Oh, those Christmas parties and all the fun we had.  Back in the day when I used to entertain.  I want those days back.

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Start Making Truffles because They are Great

If you’ve never made chocolate truffles, they are so straight forward and easy.  Just a bit time consuming and messy. 

What is a Chocolate Truffle?

A Chocolate Truffle is basically just chocolate ganache hardened and rolled into small bite size balls.  You can add whatever flavouring, nuts or whatever you like really.  Equally, you can roll them in what you like. 

Traditionally they were rolled in cocoa powder.  And they get their name Truffle from the mushroom truffle.  But don’t confuse the two, as looks are the only thing they might have in common.  The traditional chocolate truffle is less symmetrical that the round ones I’ve made here.  But you can shape them how you like really.

These Truffles are Great For The Holidays

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These Dark Chocolate Brandy Truffles really hit that chocolate spot.  The brandy adds a nice touch of something extra and topped off with their various coatings.  As you’ll see below, I used cocoa powder, chocolate sprinkles, toasted nuts and coconut.  A great variety. 

They freeze fantastically.  In fact most of these are still in my freezer.  I only indulged in a few when I made them a while back.  And they made great edible gifts for your chocolate loving friends.

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Always Get Organized Before you Start

Like all baking, or in this case  non baking, get organized!  The biggest and most daunting task to any kind of cooking or baking is getting yourself organized. 

So, read the recipe to the end before staring and get all you ingredients lined up.  Including pans, utensils, measuring cups, scales, etc.  It saves so much time and frustration.  Experience tells me so.

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Let’s get started

In a small saucepan, add the cream and and butter.  Place it over a medium heat and stir until the butter melts.  Bring to a gentle boil and remove from heat immediately.  If you leave it to boil the cream will curdle when removed from the heat, so make sure you get it off the stove as soon as it reaches a boil.  This will be visible by seeing bubbles on the surface.

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Add the chopped chocolate straight away and stir until it melts.  This will only take a minute or so.

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The chocolate mixture will look like this, smooth and velvety.  Next, add the brandy and give a good stir.  At this point, cover it in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least an hour.

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Time To Form Them Into Balls

Now, it’s time to get your hands dirty.  It’s messy, it’s real messy.  The chocolate softens quickly has it touches your hands, but stick with it.  I recommend, just taking half of the mixture out of the fridge at a time to roll truffles.  They are very difficult to roll into perfect little balls, really they are!  Just aim to get them into some sort of ball shape and lay them on the parchment paper.  When you coat them, you will easily get a better ball shape. 

The mixture will stick to your hands as you roll them, but just keep going until you have them all rolled out. 

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Have ready all of your coatings.  One by one, roll a truffle in the coating.  Now you will find it much easier to shape them into perfect little round balls.  Just for size reference, these are about 1 inch in diameter.  They don’t need to be big as they are so rich.

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How To Set Up To Make Truffles

I like to set all mine up on a large sheet of parchment paper and divide them up into the different coatings like you see below here.  It’s makes it organized.  Then when you’re done, you can just toss the parchment paper.

After you have them all rolled out, place them in a airtight container and put them in the fridge for at least an hour before serving.  Yes, they can also be frozen successfully.  I have made and frozen then up to two months before serving.  Just make sure it’s an airtight container. 

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Truffles make a great after dinner treat through the festive period as well.  Quite often after big meals, you want a touch of something sweet.  Truffles can hit the spot perfectly as they are so small and you only need one or two to finish off that dinner.

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I don’t often indulge in making sweets like these, as my teens aren’t really fans.  In the sweet department, I  try to stick to things that please their “developing” pallets!  Otherwise, I might be found munching myself through well past witching hour.  It’s been done, don’t judge.  And when insomnia hits, those treats had better be well hidden.

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And insomnia has been on an all time high lately so the treats are really coming in handy.  Ladies in your late 40s, put your hands up if you’re with me?  I feel like I’m the only one that can’t sleep, but I know you’re all out there counting reindeer as well. So, keep the freezer stocked and the Christmas movies at the ready.  We’re in it for the long haul.

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Enjoy The Truffles

Today I’m leaving you with I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Clause by the Jackson 5.  A less traditional song from the classics but another great Christmas tune.  

Thanks for following along and don’t forget to stop by tomorrow to see what’s next!!

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thanks for stopping by and hope to see you soon!