Truffles

These are really good. They are rich, dark and creamy, but they also pack a punch due to the addition of rum. They are finicky to make, especially if your kitchen is like mine and heats up a lot when the oven is on. The best thing to do is to roll your hands in a little cocoa powder (used like flour when touching dough) to prevent the ganache from sticking to your hands.

Ingredients: Truffles
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate
1 cup heavy cream
1 Earl Gray teabag (optional)
2 Tbs. unsalted butter, softened
1 Tbs. light corn syrup
2 Tbs. liquor (I used rum, but kirsch, bourbon or Grand Marinier are good as well. Or you can used brewed coffee, orange juice, or a fruit puree)

Ingredients: Coating
Roasted Hazelnuts

Method
1. Using a serrated knife finely chop the chocolate (the smaller the better as it needs to melt with only the assistance of hot cream).

2. Place the chopped chocolate in a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Place the butter in with the chocolate.

3. Bring the cream and corn syrup to boil in a small saucepan (if you like you can add the Earl Gray tea bag at the beginning, and then bring it to a boil. Take the cream off the heat and let the cream and tea bag steep for 10 min. Then put back on the heat and bring to a boil once more).

4. Take the boiling cream off the heat and pour on top of the chocolate and butter.

5. Let it sit for 1min. Then pulse the machine 3 times - scrape down the sides- then pulse the machine 3 more times, and then add the liquor (or other flavoring), and pulse once more.

6. Place in a bowl and put in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

7. Roast the hazelnuts in the oven (350F oven for 10 min). Remove the husks (with your fingers or by rubbing them between a tea towel). Chop into pieces - fairly fine, but chunky enough to really taste them,

8. Take the Truffle filling out of the fridge, and take a tablespoon of the mix between lightly cocoa powdered fingers and roll into a semblance of a ball, then place in the hazelnuts*.

9. Put in the fridge, serve when set.

*You can coat the truffles with many things at this time, melted bittersweet chocolate and cocoa powder, other types of nuts or toasted coconut.

Taken from The Secrets of Baking by Sherry Yard pp. 16-19.