Sunday 3 January 2010

Christmas Pudding Truffles

With Christmas and New Year over things are starting to settle down and return to the regular routine, with the last few slices of Christmas cake or pudding the lingering reminder of the festivities.

My homemade Christmas pudding was a great success on Christmas day. It had been maturing for a month by the time it was given a final steam, doused in a copious amount of Brandy and set alight. The wispy blue flames looked so pretty dancing around the edge of the pudding. I did try and take a photo of it, but the flames haven’t really shown up. The pudding was very moist and flavoursome. The fruits and Brandy had mingled together nicely to give a deep, rich fruity overtone and the cakey bit was light and moist. I’m definitely going to make it again next year.

Over Christmas a friend had also given us a bought Christmas pudding and rather than eat it simply as a pudding (as we had the homemade one) I was given permission to turn it into truffles…Christmas pudding with Brandy butter chocolate truffles!
To make the truffles, you simply crumble the leftover pudding into a bowl, warm it gently in the microwave to make it soft and gooey and then mix in a little Brandy butter to help stick everything together (regular butter would do if you don’t have any leftover). It was then a matter of rolling them into balls, chilling them and covering with melted dark chocolate or a dusting of cocoa powder and your done. Delicious truffles, that look and taste like you must have been working in the kitchen for hours and yet in reality they are made from a few simple leftovers.

They were very moreish. The chocolate coating cracked with a very satisfying crunch as you bite into it yielding to a soft, fruity, boozy interior. The perfect after dinner treat when you don’t want a full dessert.

Christmas Pudding Truffles
Ingredients

500-600g leftover Christmas pudding
25g Brandy butter (or regular butter with ½ tbsp Brandy)
200g dark chocolate
Cocoa powder for dusting

Method
Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper and set aside.
Crumble the Christmas pudding between your fingers into a bowl. Add the Brandy butter and place the bowl in the microwave for 30 seconds, until warmed but not hot.
Mix everything together, until combined.
Take teaspoonfuls of the mixture and squish it gently into balls using the tips of your fingers. Place on the prepared baking tray. Continue until all the mixture is used up.
Place the baking tray in the freezer for an hour to completely chill the pudding truffles (this prevents them from breaking up when you dip them in chocolate).
After an hour, melt the dark chocolate until smooth. Remove the truffles from the freezer and dip each one into the melted chocolate, turning it until well covered. Use two small forks to help you.
Place the chocolate covered truffles back onto the baking tray. Once the chocolate has been used up, roll any remaining balls in cocoa powder.
Leave the chocolate to set at room temperature. Once set, place the truffles in small petit fours cases and serve.
Store any leftover truffles in an airtight container.
Makes around 30 truffles

13 comments:

Chele said...

Great looking truffles Katie. Especially like the chocolate dipped ones ;0)

Beth (jamandcream) said...

My Mother in law made Nigella's Puddini Truffles which are quite similar and they were divine

Johanna GGG said...

happy new year - lovely truffles - and great picture of your generous amount of brandy

Unknown said...

Wonderful! A perfect way to use left over Christmas pudding, and a perfect recipe for truffles!

The Caked Crusader said...

clever idea - I can see that working really well.
Happy new year!

Gigi said...

smart idea for left over christmas pudding! i'll have the one dipped in chocolate please :D

Monica H said...

Can't say that I've ever seen anything like this but they're so pretty. The perfect little treat for after dinner.

Simones Kitchen said...

O they look lovely! Makes me want to have one right now just looking at it!

Kate/Kajal said...

These are brilliant ! i bet these were a big hit :)

Happy New Year :)

Nic said...

Nice looking truffles, and a good way to use up the pud!
Happy New Year and all the best for 2010!

Issy said...

Happy new year. I love the look of the truffles. I have just been given an award for my blog and am now passing it on to you as one of my favourite blogs. To collect the award go to my blog xxx

Sam said...

I don't think I'd be able to stop at just one of these, they look very moreish!

Anonymous said...

Mmmmmmmm.... Delicious!!