Cranberry and sloe gin chocolate truffles

These truffles are one of my favourite festive treats, not just as a gift to give but also for myself. They are surprisingly simple to make but the results are utterly decadent. If by some terrible miscalculation (or overindulgence) I have run out of my own stash of sloe gin, I am a big fan of Warner’s, made in Northamptonshire, and The Boatyard Distillery’s Sloe Boat Gin from Fermanagh, Northern Ireland.

Makes approximately 30 truffles

Ingredients

• 150g 70% cocoa dark chocolate
• 150g milk chocolate
• 100ml double cream
• 25g butter
• 75g dried cranberries, chopped
• 50ml sloe gin
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 15g-20g cocoa powder for dusting
• Edible silver or gold spray (optional)

Method

1. Roughly chop the chocolate and place in a small heatproof bowl. In a pan stir together the cream, butter, cranberries, sloe gin and vanilla then bring to a simmer. Once simmering, pour the mixture over the chocolate and leave to stand for 5 minutes. If you have a marble/stone worktop, place the bowl on a wooden chopping board so it doesn’t cool too quickly.
2. After 5 minutes, stir well then tip into a shallow dish and cover with cling film – you want the cling film touching the chocolate so condensation doesn’t form. Chill in the fridge for 1 hour. Using a melon baller, scoop out the chocolate into even-sized pieces and lay them on a tray.
3. Take each piece, roll into a ball and dip into the cocoa powder. Place back on the tray and repeat. Spray with edible gold or silver if using then chill for another hour before boxing up. These will last for up to a fortnight if stored in the fridge.

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