St Valentine’s Day recipe: Irish cream chocolate truffles
The pressure to find the perfect St Valentine’s Day gift can be immense. Some of us crack under the weighty expectations and grab a last minute teddy bear with sad eyes or a limp bunch of flowers. Here are the facts people: she will not appreciate that.
Irish baker Cara Lloyd from The Corner Bakery has a solution to your problem that’s as simple as it is delicious: homemade chocolate truffles.
Whip up a batch of these and forever be remembered as the most romantic and thoughtful other half of all time!
Cara explains:
What could be more romantic than Irish Cream Truffles you’ve made yourself? You’ll be surprised how simple these are to make. Use good quality ingredients and they’re sure to impress.
Irish cream liqueur is the inspired combination of whiskey with chocolate and cream or milk. We have the recipe for that too.
Irish Cream Chocolate Truffles recipe
Making a lovely chocolatey mess
Ingredients:
8oz (200g) dark chocolate
5 fl oz (120g) heavy cream
2 tbsp (50g) softened butter
3 fl oz (80g) Irish Cream liqueur
Cocoa powder or chocolate vermicelli, to decorate
Makes about 20 truffles.
To make the truffles:
1. Chop the chocolate into small pieces, and place in a large mixing bowl.
2. Combine the heavy cream with the Irish Cream liqueur. Bring to the boil by heating a heavy-based saucepan or put in the microwave.
3. Pour the just-boiled cream mixture onto the chopped chocolate, and stir gently until the chocolate melts and mixes with the cream.
4. Add the softened butter, and stir until melted.
5. Leave to cool for 30 min, then refrigerate for 30 min.
6. Cover a baking sheet with greaseproof paper.
7. Scoop out walnut-sized balls of the chocolate truffle mixture onto the baking sheet, using two teaspoons. Now here comes the fun bit: Coat your palms with cocoa powder, and roll the balls between your hands to shape them into rounds.
8. Roll each truffle in a bowl of cocoa powder or chocolate vermicelli.
The finished (and delicious) product!
Serving suggestion: Cara says “for a romantic touch, serve in paper candy cases or wrap in a cellophane bag, tied with a red ribbon”.
Or get some very tiny and delicate ribbons and tie them around each truffle – this will add to your brownie points hugely!
Individually ribbon wrapped truffles – THAT’S love!
Clearly Ireland has the romantic touch. So much so that we’ve become a honeymoon hotspot and we’re renowned worldwide as the ‘Land of Legendary Lovers’. Happy Valentine’s Day!
