Truffles

Because I prefer to avoid a lot of sugar, desserts are particularly challenging. I find that chocolate with a 70% or higher cocoa content contains very little or no dairy, and has much less sugar than regular milk chocolate (particularly 85% chocolate, it is quite bitter(and very delicious)), so most of the desserts I tend to make are based around using very dark chocolate. I recently discovered how simple and easy truffles are to make, and they look particularly impressive, so they are a great gift idea, or party food.

For Elise's birthday we made Rosemary and Salt Truffles. You don't have to flavour them if you prefer a nice plain chocolate hit. But you can make some really interesting chocolate flavours which is fun.

I made my truffles by combining this recipe and this recipe.

Basic Truffle Recipe:
100mL cream (I used lactose free cream, which is available at Coles in the cold dairy section)
100g very dark chocolate (you want to use at least 70%, you want that really rich chocolate flavour). I use Lindt 85%
Cocoa for dusting (or you can use icing sugar, coconut, or dip them in melted chocolate)
Optional: flavour

If you want to flavour your truffles you can infuse the cream. This is done by adding your flavouring and scalding the cream (heating it up to the point just before it boils). Infusing works best with a solid flavour, it's not recommended to use fine powders. I used one stick of fresh rosemary which gave the truffles a really nice flavour. Other flavours you could try are vanilla bean, cinnamon stick, lavender, tea, chilli, mint etc any thing you can think of. Once you've scaled the cream with your flavour, use a fine sieve and pour your cream out, and discard your rosemary twig (or other flavour).

Method:

Break your chocolate up into pieces and put in medium bowl. Heat your cream in a saucepan over the stove (or in the microwave), infuse the cream with your flavour(s) if you want to (I used rosemary). Once your cream is nice and hot (almost boiling) pour the cream over your chocolate and stir until the chocolate is completely melted and you have a nice smooth consistency. Optional, at this point I added 1tsp of vanilla bean paste and large pinch of coarse salt. Smooth the top of the chocolate mixture and leave out to cool to room temperature (usually takes a couple of hours). When your mixture has cooled use a couple of spoons to make even-sized balls (they won't be completely round at this stage, just try to get them even in size). 

They look messy, but it we'll make them pretty after they've set in the fridge for about an hour. 

When they're firm, bring them out and use your hands to roll them into balls. The fridge helps to set them so they keep their shape when you roll them. 

Roll them in some cocoa powder and put them into mini patty pans and store them in the fridge.

Delicious!