Sweet chocolate rum truffles
Chocolate rum truffles: Each country has their own holiday traditions and the giving of chocolate truffles over the Christmas period is very French.
Visit any small store or petrol station across France during the Christmas season and you will be invited to take a truffle that have been placed at the counter especially for you.
December 6th, Saint Nicholas ‘ Day, is a festival for children in many European countries and the giving of chocolate is related to the reputation of Saint Nicholas as a bringer of gifts.
Related recipes
According to legend, the chocolate truffle was created in the kitchen of French chef Auguste Escoffier during the 1920s. Apparently one of his apprentices was attempting to make a pastry cream and accidentally poured hot cream into a bowl of chocolate rather than the bowl of sugared eggs. As the chocolate and cream mixture hardened, he found he could work the chocolate paste with his hands to form a ball. He then rolled them into cocoa powder and was struck by how much they resembled the truffles grown in the French Périgord region and the Piedmont area of Italy.
Sweet rum tuffles: Makes up to 25
- 200 ml (7 fl oz) whipping cream
- 350 grams (12 oz) 65 – 75% chocolate
- 3 tablespoons rum
- Cocoa powder for coating
- Gently warm the cream to just under a boil.
- Add the chocolate pieces and rum.
- Mix until the chocolate melts and stir until smooth.
- Whip the mix for a few minutes then chill overnight.
- Sift some cocoa powder onto grease proof paper.
- Shape the truffles a teaspoon at a time then roll in the cocoa powder.
- Arrange the truffles on a grease proof paper lined baking sheet and chill again before serving.
