Cocoa tree and bean

This is truly the chocolate lover’s ultimate treat, a dangerous little nugget, smooth inside, covered with a soft shell and dusted in powder,  all three elements containing chocolate. You try one, it tastes so good, you have to test another to identify all the flavours but it is impossible to stop, each one you thought would be your last, is better than the one before… so my advice is don’t double this recipe. It is enough for a batch of four dozens, plenty even if you have company and …a few samples for the chef, necessary for quality control.

You need 400 gr of the best dark chocolate you can find. I am bias to think that the French brands are ideal for cooking. Smoother than Baker’s or Caillebaut and more tasty. First,  mix two large high quality egg yolks with 5 tbsp icing sugar until the mixture is creamy. Second, melt 300 gr of the chocolate in a bain marie, then add 10 cl Armagnac or the liquor of your choice and keep warm. Third, bring to a boil 1/4 cup unsalted butter, 1/2 cup 30% cream, 5 tbsp icing sugar, 1 tsp instant coffee,  whisking constantly.  Pour this over the egg yolks  while stirring, then pour this over the chocolate stirring with a fork. When it is completely smooth,  refrigerate for about three hours.

Form small balls with two teaspoons or  with a pastry bag with a smooth tip. Put them on  wax paper on a tray or cookie sheet. Refrigerate again for one hour and get set up for the last stages. Melt the last 100 gr of chocolate in a large mug, add 1/4 cup warm water to it. Dip the truffles in the chocolate using prongs and return to the wax paper, the soft centre is now covered with a chocolate shell. Refrigerate 2 hours, then roll the truffles in the cocoa powder. Store in the fridge and eat quickly, no, not that quickly!