Let's Make Christmas Two

The next gift idea for Christmas is based on those chocolates and sweets that I first started making when but a youngster.  Now in days B.C. (Before Children) I would make huge quantities of sweet treats and due to demand even sold some at work.  The money from those then funded all the ones that I gave away to family and friends.  I used to make at least 20 varieties but these days, with the demands of family, it is usually just some of the favourite sorts.  So here are the recipes for four different truffles.  

The Rum Truffle recipe is the one my mother always makes.  The other three came from my grandmother's friend, who taught me.  As they are rather old recipes they are in imperial measurements, which I have to say I still use most of the time!  With all the recipes I was taught that once you have added egg yolk keep over the heat for 2 minutes stirring all the while so that they keep longer.

Chocolate Rum Truffles

6 oz  Plain Chocolate
1 oz  Butter
2  teaspoons Rum
1  Egg yolk, lightly beaten
2  teaspoons Evaporated Milk or cream
Plain Chocolate vermicelli or cocoa powder


Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of hot water.  Add the butter and mix, then keep stirring and add in a thin stream the Rum, beaten egg yolk and evaporated milk or cream.  Mix well then remove from the heat and put in a cold place for at least an hour.  


Take teaspoons of the mixture and roll into balls in your hand, then roll in the chocolate vermicelli or cocoa powder.

Orange Liqueur Truffles

2 oz  Milk Chocolate
1 oz  Butter
3 oz  Icing Sugar
1 Egg yolk, lightly beaten
Grated rind of a small Orange
1 teaspoon Cointreau 
Milk Chocolate vermicelli or extra icing sugar.


Pour Cointreau over orange rind.  Melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl over a pan of hot water.  Mix the egg yolk with the cointreau and orange and then pour in a thin stream into the melted chocolate, stirring all the time.  Continue to stir for a couple of minutes and then remove from the heat and mix in the icing sugar.  Beat well then leave the mixture to cool.  Work the mixture with a wooden spoon before shaping and rolling in vermicelli or icing sugar. 

Alpini Truffles

2 oz  Milk Chocolate
1 oz  Butter
3 oz  Icing Sugar
1  Egg yolk, lightly beaten
4 oz  Hazelnut spread
Quarter oz of Hazelnuts
Milk chocolate or blended Milk and Dark chocolate for dipping


Toast the hazelnuts and chop them into small pieces.  Melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl over a pan of hot water.  Pour the egg yolk in a thin stream into the melted chocolate, stirring all the time.  Continue to stir for a couple of minutes and then remove from the heat and mix in the icing sugar, and lastly the chopped hazelnuts and hazelnut spread.   Beat well then leave the mixture to cool.  Shape into rough logs  and leave to firm for an hour. 

Melt the chocolate for dipping in a bowl over a pan of hot water and dip the logs.  Before the chocolate sets on top mark with the back of a fork.  When set dust with icing sugar.

Cherry Brandy Truffles

3 oz  Plain Chocolate
1 oz  Butter
2 oz  Ground Almonds
2 oz Icing Sugar
Almond essence
12  Glace cherries
Cherry Brandy liqueur
Plain chocolate for dipping


Soak the cherries and 1 teaspoon of the syrup from the pot in  Cherry Brandy liqueur.  I normally leave for at least a week, often longer. 

Melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl over a pan of hot water.  Add 2 teaspoon of the syrup and liqueur, a few drops of almond essence and, lastly, the almonds and sugar.  Mix well.  Form into balls and press half a cherry into the top.


Leave to firm for an hour.  Melt the chocolate for dipping in a bowl over a pan of hot water and dip the cherry truffles then leave to set.