Decadent Chocolate Ganache Truffles

Makes 30

150ml extra thick double cream
300g good-quality plain chocolate (at least 55 per cent cocoa solids), broken into pieces
2 tbsp brandy, rum, cointreau or other orange-flavoured liqueur
good-quality Dutch cocoa powder, for dusting
Christmas Dukkah (see recipe below)
Berry, Coconut & Pistachio Mixture (see recipe below)

Heat cream in a pan, until bubbles are just beginning to appear but without boiling it. Remove from heat; add chocolate. Leave for 2 minutes, then stir well until melted and smooth.

Stir in liqueur. Place mixture in a bowl. Cover and chill until firm, about 2 hours.

Dust your hands with cocoa and shape teaspoonfuls of the mixture into small balls.

Use cocoa to coat one third of truffles, the Christmas Dukkah to coat another third and Berry, Coconut & Pistachio Mixture to coat remaining.

Store truffles, covered, in the fridge. Will keep for
1 week in the fridge.

Christmas Dukkah
Makes 1½ cups

70g almonds, toasted, finely chopped
70g pecans, toasted, finely chopped
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground cloves
¼ tsp fresh grated nutmeg
2 tsp sesame seeds
½ cup dehydrated orange pieces
½ cup dehydrated lemon pieces
6 small amaretti biscuits, crushed

Use a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder to blitz all the ingredients together, to give a coarse powder. Store in an airtight jar until ready to use.

Berry, Coconut & Pistachio Mixture
Makes 1 cup

70g pistachios, roughly chopped
½ cup dehydrated raspberry pieces
½ cup dehydrated blueberry or strawberry pieces
½ cup dessicated coconut
½ tsp ground ginger

Use a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder to blitz all ingredients together, to give a coarse powder. Store in an airtight jar until ready to use.