Merry Christmas (okay, I know its a little late)

But I had to share the truffles and caramels I made this year. They were fun to make, and relatively easy. My good friend Callene shared the recipe for the Truffles with me. It is most definitely a keeper.

Chocolate Truffles
Basic truffle ingredients

· 4oz. dark choc, 2oz. milk choc, 2oz semisweet chopped into small pieces
· 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream
· 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
Optional flavorings:
· Mint leaves (1 bunch, stems removed, chopped, about 1 cup)
· Cinnamon and cardamom (1 cinnamon stick, 2 cardamom pods)
· Almond extract (1 teaspoon)
· Orange extract (1 teaspoon)
Truffle coatings
· Cocoa powder
· Finely chopped walnuts
· Finely chopped almonds
· Coconut

DIRECTIONS
In a small saucepan bring the heavy whipping cream to a simmer (be sure to stir and scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula every few minutes).
If you are using one of the other flavorings, stir it in with the cream (and ignore vanilla in the next step). If adding mint or other solids, after the cream simmers, remove from heat and let seep for an hour. Then strain away solids, and return the cream to a simmer and proceed with recipe.
Place the chocolate in a separate bowl. Pour the cream over the chocolate, add the vanilla if needed, and allow to stand for a few minutes, then stir until smooth.
Allow to cool, then place in the refrigerator for two hours. Remove and with a teaspoon roll out balls. Roll in your hands quickly (as it will melt from the heat of your hands) and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place in the refrigerator overnight. Roll in cocoa powder, coconut or chopped nuts and serve, or place back in the refrigerator until needed.