Chocolate Rum Truffles That Look Like Winter Truffles

No you're not seeing double. These chocolate truffles are made to look like wintry mushroom truffles on purpose just for some fun! You won't believe how intensely chocolatey delicious and easy they are! They also make for a fun Christmas gift.

Chocolate truffles are very easy to make. Just melt good quality chocolate, cream and a little butter, refrigerate and roll into balls and you've basically got chocolate truffles. I added rum to give it a Christmassy flavour.

Winter mushroom truffles are not the most glamorous or pretty looking things. Dug out from the ground they're slightly lumpy balls with a tiny, ridged pattern on the surface. They're black on the outside but with white veiny marks on the inside. When they come out of the ground, they're usually covered in a thin layer of dirt.

This idea was sparked because I was at dinner and was told that we were getting some truffles. I got all excited for chocolate truffles as it was dessert time but it was a cheese dessert with shaved truffle.

I love truffles of both kinds but I did feel like eating chocolate at the time. And then I thought, why can't I make chocolate truffles that look like actual truffles? I scoured the internet looking to see if this had been done but wasn't able to find anything.

This is a fun trick to play on your friends or family provided they know what a truffle looks like (otherwise it can look a bit like poop quite honestly) and it's one that ends deliciously. I did wonder if I could infuse the cream with actual truffle but as it's summer truffles aren't easily available and perhaps that might be one step too confusing!

So tell me Dear Reader, do you prefer chocolate truffles or winter mushroom truffles? Or do you like both? Do you ever confused by the term and think that you're getting one over another?

Chocolate Rum Truffle Truffles!

An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott

Preparation time: 10 minutes plus 1.5 hours refrigeration time

Cooking time: 5 minutes

Makes 12 large truffles

• 340g/12ozs. dark chocolate (best quality, I used Belgian)
• 30g/1oz. butter
• 1 cup/8/8flozs. cream
• 4 tablespoons good quality rum
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons black cocoa powder*
• You will also need a metal sieve

Black cocoa powder is a special type of cocoa powder that colours cakes very dark. You can find it online or in specialty cooking stores. I bought it (in a very large bag) at Southern Cross cooking supplies in Marrickville. I'd recommend finding a smaller bag unless you think you'll use it a lot (a little goes a long way).

Step 1 - Melt the chocolate and butter together in a double boiler or microwave and stir until smooth and no lumps remain. Mix the cream and rum together and then add to the chocolate mixture and stir until combined (try not to overmix). Place in the fridge for 1.5 hours.

Step 2 - Mix the two cocoa powders together and place on a large, rimmed plate (I used a metal pie dish so it could go in the freezer). Scoop out a small amount, around the size of a walnut or even larger and roll into a rough ball-truffles are not exactly spherical and can have lumps on them and be misshapen so don't worry too much about rolling them perfectly.

Step 3 - Roll in the cocoa and then press gently against the sieve pattern. Repeat with the rest of the mixture working quickly. Place the plate with the truffles in the freezer for 20 minutes.

Step 4 - Once firm, roll again in the cocoa and then press again on the sieve to deepen the pattern. Keep in the fridge.