Dark Chocolate Orange Truffles. Divine.

Good quality chocolate is unbelievably expensive out here - so last week I had the genius brainwave to convert not very nice dark choc bars into delicious truffles.  Hurrah, what a success it was.  I have come up with a completely amazing and easy dark chocolate orange truffle recipe that requires only a small amount of kitchen time (although be warned - you do need a good 5-6 hours of cooling time). 

I rolled some of the truffles into balls and then covered in finely chopped toasted almonds while others I rolled into balls, popped in the fridge for another few hours then, when very cold and hard, quickly spooned over melted dark chocolate.  You could also serve them rolled into balls and dusted with sieved cocoa powder or even toasted desiccated coconut.  A perfect and relatively inexpensive treat to impress guests with coffee or to give away as presents.   Store in the fridge.

Ingredients (makes 21)

150 g dark chocolate, chopped

35 g cocoa powder

125 ml double cream

1 shot orange triple sec or Cointreau (optional)

1 orange, juice and zest

Some sort of topping/coating

Method

1. Mix the chocolate, cocoa powder, orange juice, zest and spirit (if using) in a bowl and place over a pan of barely simmering water.  Allow to melt, stir into a paste and remove from the heat.

2. Heat the cream in a saucepan.  As soon as it comes to the boil pour into the chocolate mixture, stir to combine.  Allow to cool then cover with cling film and pop in the fridge for 5-6 hours or until set through.

3. Take a teaspoon of truffle mixture and roll into a ball in the palm of your hand...

..then roll in your coating/topping or pop in the fridge for a few hours then spoon over melted chocolate....  

Place on greaseproof paper in the fridge to set.  Continue until all the mixture is used up. 

What a cunning way of eating delicious truffles at a fraction of the price.