'Tis the Season

Firstly, I want to say THANK YOU to all my blog readers. I love your posts and your questions. You make blogging about food a fun and rewarding experience. And though we have our toe into the beginning of 2009, this is more of a holiday post.

This year I wanted to give friends and neighbors small holiday goodies and decided on one of my favorites, chocolate truffles. They aren't true truffles, which would be a genache rolled in tempered chocolate. Tempering chocolate is a very complex and tedious process that I completely lack the patience for.

Instead, I make a chocolate gooey filling and roll it in nuts or coconut. Here is my absolutely favorite chocolate truffle recipe.

To roll these, I store the chocolate in the fridge and use a spoon to scoop out little truffle shaped balls. Truffles are named for the exotic mushroom truffles of France and therefore do not need to be perfect circles.

Chocolate Truffles:

This recipe is easy to make. Be careful not to heat the chocolate too much or you will loose a lot of flavor.

1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 pound chocolate, chopped into small pieces (the best you can get your hands on)

1/2 cup liqueur, optional

1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dash salt

1. Scald cream in small pot over stove (it should be steaming hot.)

2. Simmer pot of water. Place chocolate in bowl and mix in hot cream. If choc­olate is not melted completely, place on top of simmering pot. Stir con­stantly until melted.

3. Mix in the liquor of your choice, vanilla, and salt.

4. Pour into a container with a lid. Place in freezer or refrigerator for 45 minutes to an hour, or until solid.

5. Scoop out with a small cookie scoop. Garnish by rolling in a mixture of pow­dered sugar and cocoa powder or chopped nuts or whatever tickles your fancy.

What are the traditional holiday foods you make each year? Have any great ideas? I would love to hear them!