DIY Valentine's Truffles

A sweet Valentine's idea - stay in and make some decadent DIY truffles with your mate. So romantic (and decadent!) This is also be a fun party idea: have a mini 'make your own truffle' buffet. Serve with brandy, rum, red wine or whisky for the gentlemen. 

photo by David Lofus via Jamie Oliver

Amazing DIY Chocolate Truffles from Jamie Oliver

makes about 50 teaspoon-sized truffles

• 1 1/4 cups double cream
• a knob of unsalted butter
• finely grated zest from 1 clementine
• 10 ounces good-quality dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), broken into small pieces
• a pinch sea salt
• a splash of brandy
• a handful of mixed nuts (Brazil nuts, toasted almonds and hazelnuts)
• 3 tablespoons Dutch process cocoa powder, to serve
• 1 pack biscotti, to serve
• 1 bottle of Vin Santo, to serve

Put the cream in a pan over a medium heat and let it heat up. You don’t want it boiling, just hot. As soon as tiny bubbles start to appear, add the knob of butter and the clementine zest. Once the butter has melted, pour this hot mixture over the chocolate pieces, whisking as you go, so the chocolate melts nice and slowly. If the mixture splits slightly, don’t worry, you can bring it right by adding a splash of boiling water.

Add a pinch of salt to the mixture; the smallest pinch of salt actually makes chocolate taste even chocolatier! Stir in a splash of brandy.

Once completely melted and smooth, pour your melted chocolate mixture into a nice little serving dish or bowl. Pop this in the fridge for about 2 hours to set. You can always do this a few days before you need it if you want. About 30 minutes before you’re ready to make your truffles, pull the bowl out of the fridge and let the chocolate warm up to room temperature.

Put your mixed nuts into a plastic bag and use a rolling pin to bash them up quite finely. Get some little saucers or bowls and put the nuts in one and your cocoa powder in the other. Put a teacup filled with boiled water on the tray and pop a few teaspoons in there for scooping the chocolate. Get everyone around the table to spoon their own truffles out of the serving dish and roll them in cocoa powder, crushed nuts or anything else you fancy. Or, you can let them smear their truffles over a biscotti like some posh Nutella! Serve with a few glasses of your chilled Vin Santo.