Boozy Chocolate Truffles 4 ways
An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott
Preparation time: 30 minutes plus overnight hanging time
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Makes around 50 truffles
- 2 cups cake flour
- 1.5 cups brown sugar
- 8 tablespoons cocoa, sifted
- 2 teaspoons bicarb
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups water
- 3/4 cup oil
- 4 tablespoons vinegar
- 4 teaspoons vanilla
- 100g/3.5ozs. dark chocolate, finely chopped
Chocolate Ganache
- 200g/7ozs. dark chocolate
- 1/2 cup coconut cream
Step 1 - Grease and line the base and sides of a 20cm/8inch springform tin. Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Whisk the cake flour, brown sugar, cocoa, bicarb and salt together. In a jug whisk the water, oil, vinegar and vanilla and add to the flour mix, mixing until just combined. Add in the chocolate and pour into the tin and bake for 30-40 minutes or until the centre is done. You can make this cake a day or two ahead of time and freeze it or wrap it well.
Step 2 - Crumble the cake. Make the ganache by heating the coconut cream and pour it over the dark chocolate and stir to melt and then mix with the cake crumbles to form a pliable dough. Portion the cake dough into four.
For Gin & Rose Truffles
Take 1/5 of the total cake mixture and knead with 2-3 tablespoons gin (start with 2 tablespoons and then add another tablespoon if it needs it). Refrigerate for 1 hour and then roll into balls. Freeze the balls until firm. Then melt 200g/7ozs. chocolate with 1 teaspoon coconut oil and dip the balls in this (using two forks). Top with rose petals while still setting (they'll set quite quickly as the balls are frozen).
For Whisky Truffles
Take 1/5 of the total cake mixture and knead with 2-3 tablespoons whisky (start with 2 tablespoons and then add another tablespoon if it needs it). Refrigerate for 1 hour. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of cocoa on a large plate. Take a small handful of the mixture and roll into a small log. Cut into 2cm pieces and roll in cocoa powder.
For Rum & Raisin Truffles
Soak 1/5 cup of raisins in 3 tablespoons of rum for 30 minutes. Take 1/4 of the total cake mixture and knead with rum and raisins. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of chocolate hail onto a plate. Cut the truffle mix into squares and roll in the chocolate hail.
For Pedro Ximinez and Quince Truffles
Soak 1/5 cup of dried, chopped up quince or figs in 3 tablespoons of Pedro Ximinez for 30 minutes. Take 1/4 of the total cake mixture and knead with PX and fruit. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Cut into triangles. Melt 1/4 cup of chocolate and drizzle on top of the triangles and place a little square of dried fruit on the chocolate.
For Coffee Liqueur Truffles
Take 1/5 of the total cake mixture and knead with 2-3 tablespoons coffee liqueur eg Mr Black (start with 2 tablespoons and then add another tablespoon if it needs it). Refrigerate for 1 hour. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of cocoa on a large plate. Take a teaspoon of the mixture and roll into balls and roll in cocoa powder.