Spiced Cacao Christmas Truffles

Make time - 30-40min

Difficulty - Medium

Makes - 15 truffles

Equipment - Blender

These raw Spiced Cacao Christmas Truffles will be the star at the Christmas table, and the ultimate handmade gift for that special friend or colleague who has everything (who doesn’t love a food gift!).

A deliciously light, fluffy, yet fudgy centre to indulge your taste buds, without being too rich. These truffles are that winning combination between rich, fudgy and indulgent, without making you feel sluggish and like you’ve over indulged (we all know that feeling all too well during the holiday season!).

To give it that festive feeling, we’ve added some traditional christmas spices, nuts and dried fruits, before rolling and dipping the entire truffle in a choclate shell to create that wow factor of a crisp outer layer, filled with a soft fudgy centre to sink your teeth into.

Chocolate Base

1/3 cup raw cacao butter

1/2 cup cold-pressed coconut oil

1/4 cup organic maple syrup (you could use another liquid sweetener such as agave or coconut nectar, but this will affect the flavour)

1 cup + 2 tablespoons raw cacao powder

1 tsp vanilla extract or ½ tsp vanilla bean powder

pinch sea salt

1/4 cup filtered water

Truffle filling

2 tablespoons dried apple, diced

2 tablespoons dried currants

15 Brazil nuts, roughly chopped

Zest of 1 orange

Zest of ½ lemon

2 pinches ground clove

¼ tsp all spice

½ tsp ground cinnamon

To Assemble

¼ cup cacao powder for rolling the truffles in.

Method

Melt the cacao butter and coconut oil by placing them in a dry mixing bowl, and sitting that bowl on top of another bowl that’s been partially filled with almost boiling water. Be very careful not to let any water get into the bowl. If needed, refresh the hot water underneath if the mixture cools down before the oils have completely melted.

Once the oils have melted, add the maple syrup whilst keeping the bowl over the warm water, and mix together gently. Add the cacao powder, salt and vanilla, and mix.

Keep stirring gently until the mixture is well combined, this will take about 5 minutes. The temperature should remain warm around 41°C while mixing to ensure a smooth, consistent chocolate that won’t separate easily.

Take just over ¾ cup of the chocolate (leaving the rest in your bowl sitting over the warm water), and place in a clean and dry blender. Place the blender on its lowest speed, gradually pouring in the water until it’s completely combined. Do not over-blend, or the mixture might separate.

Place the mixture in a separate bowl, and combine with all of the truffle filling ingredients. Cover the bowl, and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes until firm.

Line a tray with baking paper. Take spoonful’s of the mixture and roll into balls about 2.5cm in diameter, before placing back on the baking paper. Once you have finished rolling the mixture into balls, place the tray in the freezer for 5 minutes to harden up before dipping.

Now you are going to use that chocolate you left over the hot water to dip your chocolate truffles in, creating that delicious crisp outer layer.

Firstly, refresh the hot water under the chocolate, making sure your chocolate is nice and runny. You can then take the chocolate off the hot water and sit it on the bench.

Take the truffle centres you rolled, and using a spoon or fork, dip each one into the melted chocolate, allowing any excess chocolate to drip of by angling your spoon or fork back into the bowl. Place each truffle back on the baking paper.

Allow the outer chocolate layer to just set. You will see the colour become slightly lighter. While it’s still a little soft, roll or dust in the additional cacao power (this last step isn’t necessary, I just like the look of it more than anything). Keep in a well-sealed container in the fridge.

***notes - if you were making a larger batch you could use a food processor, but the size of this recipe is too small so we used a blender.

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Recipes include:

A fresh and healthy take on the classic Mince Pie for the office bake off

Superfood Caramel Corn for watching your favourite Christmas movie re-runs

Raw Spiced Cacao Truffles for gifting to friends, family and co-workers

Spiced Cookies & Cashew Nog Milk to keep Santa and the kids happy – because Santa loves the good stuff!

Christmassy White Chocolate Cheesecake for the grand dessert at your festive gathering.