Last minute Christmas noms: Christmas truffles

This year's Christmas has been a last minute kinda Christmas.

Got all the prezzies last minute (just finished today whew). Flying up last minute (Christmas eve, evening). Packing for being away for 2 months, you guessed it last minute (aka have not started, yikes).

Only just finished up the last of these bad boys today and managed to get some good piccies...so very sorry for the last minute Christmas noms posting!

This recipe was recommened to me by my friend from work and total domestic goddess Christmas ninja Catherine. They are some of the easiest and best truffles I've ever made. My goodness do they they taste incredible! Rich fruitcake with warming Christmas spices and just the right amount of a happy holidays citrus boozy kick. All wrapped in dark chocolate.  Glorious. The very best Christmas flavours in one chocolatey mouthful.

It's Christmas in a truffle.

My first attempt at them was a messy affair - got chocolate and mushed up Christmas cake up to my elbows but version 2.0 using disposable kitchen gloves and a chocolate dipping swizzley dodacky made the process a million times easier, trust me (esp with the gloves).

I also have a gingerbread men recipe to come too! They're getting baked, yip that's right, last minute (after work tomorrow night eek!). In the meantime check out this awesome recipe for a gingerbread house I found, might make it next year:

{via memecenter}

Christmas truffles

adapted by me from a Cuisine magazine recipe which was recommened by Catherine.

Makes ~ 60 truffles

700g un-iced Christmas fruitcake - I used store bought  (ernest adams actually) but you can always make your own if you are a total domestic ninja.

150g 50-60% dark chocolate, melted

zest of 1 orange

1/2 cup brandy or port

1/4 cup orange juice (~ 1 orange)
optional: 2 Tablespoons Cointreau

~450g 50-60% dark chocolate for coating (***Updated: I found that with the 50% chocolate the coating bloomed on me whereas the 60% didn't so def will be using 60% and higher to coat next time***)
optional: edible gold glitter for decoration

Equipment: (optional but makes like oh so much easier)
disposable kitchen gloves
wire chocolate dipper

1. Chop up the Christmas cake in to cubes and place in a food processor, mushing the bits up as you put them in. Give it a few pulses to break up then add the 150g melted chocolate, orange juice, zest, booze. Whizz it up until well combined. It will look like mush, don't worry!  If you don't have a food processor, I've made these without one too and they were just as good - just mash all the cake up with gloved hands and or a fork, add the liquid and squish it well through.

2. Cover the mixture in cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour until firm enough to handle. You can transfer into another bowl if you want but I just glad wrapped the food processor bowl and put that straight in the fridge.

3. With gloved hands roll rounded teaspoonfuls into balls, place two large plates lined with tin foil.  Put balls back into fridge and chill for another 30 minutes.

4. In the microwave using 30 second bursts of high or over a saucepan of simmering water but not touching, melt 250g of the coating chocolate (saving 4 squares) in a totally dry bowl (don't let any water get in the chocolate or it will seize!).

5. Once melted, stir in those last four squares off the heat (this is supposed to help temper it - works for me some of the time not always).  Line another two baking trays with tinfoil.   Take half the balls out of the fridge and dunk one ball at a time into the chocolate. Coat the ball completely with chocolate (I love how the french call this part enrobing. Sounds so sensual) and lift out with with the chocolate dipper or two forks, letting the excess chocolate drip off. When you've enrobed say 10 truffles, sprinkle a little gold glitter on top (before the chocolate dries).  If the chocolate is getting a little thick, pop it back in the microwave for 30 seconds or pop over the saucepan again to melt down. Repeat the process with the second ~250g of chocolate for the rest of the truffles.

6. I let the truffles harden at room temperature overnight (we get cool evenings here in Wellington). You can put them in the fridge to speed the process up, but sometimes this can cause the chocolate to "bloom".  Keep in an airtight container for a couple of weeks (3 weeks if refrigerated).