Chocolate Heaven : » home made

Make your own chocolate gifts – Idea 2

Sylvia — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 10:21:50 +0000

So today’s idea is to make some homemade truffles. They are quite easy to make and adapt to your own taste – they can be made with your favourite type of chocolate, and flavoured with all sorts of goodies. They can also be rolled in cocoa (as pictured here), or grated chocolate, nuts, chopped dried fruit…

The finishing touches are in how you present your truffles. You can buy little paper cases to put them in, and then present them in little boxes, bags, tins, jars… whatever you have handy! They can then be dressed up with ribbons, stickers or whatever you like!

Why not post a link to your finished product to give other readers some ideas?!

Here is one reccipe that you can try:

Ingredients

* 250ml double cream (for people who are lactose intolerant, you could substitute the cream for soya milk, or coconut cream – you may need to experiment with quantities)
* 150g caster sugar
* 180g dark, good quality chocolate, finely grated
* Cocoa powder, for dusting

Method: How to make truffles

1. Heat the cream and sugar in a small pan until almost boiling.

2. Stir in the chocolate, then remove the pan from the heat.

3. Transfer the truffle mixture to a plastic container. Cover and place in the refrigerator until cold and firm.

4. To shape the truffles, scoop a teaspoon of the mixture and roll quickly between your palms. Dust the truffles in cocoa powder (or whatever else you have decided ) and store in the fridge until ready to serve.

Couldnt be easier, right?!

photo from Flickr by “rachel is coconut&lime”

Make your own chocolate gifts – Idea 1

Sylvia — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 10:37:11 +0000

Over the next few weeks, I will be scouring the web for some fun ideas that you or your kids can make at home to give as original, home-made and chocolatey gifts!

The first idea I came accross was a “Hot Chocolate Ice-Cream Cone”.. I tried one out here in the shop, and they look really good!

How to make:

1. Buy some of your favourite hot chocolate mix – either in individual sachets, or in a larger jar or tub. You could even use some cocoa powder and add sugar. Empty enough for about 4 mugs of hot chocolate into a clear disposable icing bag. You could also use some rolled up cellophane taped up at the bottom, or a clear sandwich bag. Leave a bit of air at the top, tie it closed with an elastic band, and trim the top of the bag.

2. Push down the tied end towards the hot cocoa mixture to make an indentation. This is where the marshmallows and your choice of topping will sit.

3. Place the cocoa cone inside a second clear icing bag (or whatever you used for the first bag!). Line up the seams.

4. Put in marshmallows, then chopped chocolate pieces (or use your imagination to add other flavours – chocolate pieces with orange or mint flavour perhaps?).

5. Tie closed with an elastic band.

6. Tie a ribbon around the elastic band.

7. If you want to include instructions for making the hot cocoa, you could print them up, punch a hole in the paper, and tie it on with the ribbon.

If you try this, we would love to hear from you!

Chocolate Heaven : » home made

Make your own chocolate gifts – Idea 2

photo from Flickr by “rachel is coconut&lime”

Make your own chocolate gifts – Idea 1

(information from www.ice-cream-freaks.com and www.oprah.com)