Description
Delight in these festive Christmas Fruit Mince Truffles combining rich dark chocolate, creamy whipping cream, and classic spiced fruit mince. Coated in smooth milk and white chocolate and topped with candied cherries, these truffles are perfect for holiday celebrations and gifting.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Fruit Mince Truffles:
- 125 ml (½ cup) heavy whipping/thickened cream
- 200 g (7 oz) dark cooking chocolate (70% cocoa solids), finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅓ cup fruit mince (homemade or store-bought)
For the Coating and Decoration:
- 180 g (6 oz) milk cooking chocolate
- 100 g (3 ½ oz) white cooking chocolate
- 9 red glacé/candied cherries, halved
Instructions
- Prepare the dish: Line a small, flat dish (around 13 x 18 cm or 7 x 5 inches) with non-stick baking paper. Also line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper and set aside.
- Heat the cream: Pour the cream into a small saucepan and heat it over low heat until just below boiling point, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching.
- Melt the dark chocolate: Remove the saucepan from heat and add the finely chopped dark cooking chocolate. Stir until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth.
- Add spices and fruit mince: Allow the mixture to cool for 5 minutes, then stir in the ground cinnamon and fruit mince until evenly combined.
- Chill the mixture: Pour the mixture into the prepared dish and refrigerate for 1 ½ to 2 hours until firm enough to roll into balls.
- Shape truffles: Using a small ice cream scoop or spoon, scoop and roll the chilled mixture into compact small balls. If too firm, let it sit for 5-10 minutes before rolling. Place each ball on the prepared tray and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to firm up.
- Melt the coating chocolates: Break milk chocolate into even pieces and melt over a pan of barely simmering water, ensuring no water enters the chocolate. Stir occasionally until mostly melted, then remove from heat to let residual warmth finish melting. Repeat melting process for white chocolate. Alternatively, melt chocolates separately in a microwave with short bursts.
- Cool coating chocolates: Allow the melted chocolates to cool for about 15 minutes, ensuring they aren’t too warm to prevent softening the truffles during dipping.
- Coat the truffles: Dip each truffle one at a time into the melted milk chocolate, using two forks to fully coat and remove excess chocolate on the bowl's edge. Place coated truffles back onto the lined tray and refrigerate if the chocolate firms before continuing.
- Decorate: Once all truffles are coated and chilled, use a small amount of the cooled white chocolate to dot the top of each truffle and immediately place a halved glacé cherry on top.
- Final chilling and storage: Place the tray of finished truffles into the fridge to fully set. Store the truffles in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. For layering, separate with non-stick baking paper.
Notes
- Use full-fat heavy whipping cream with at least 35% fat for best texture and flavor.
- Choose dark chocolate with high cocoa content (around 70%) to balance the fruit mince’s sweetness and alcohol content.
- Fruit mince can be homemade or store-bought; ensure it is vegetarian-friendly and flavorful.
- Lining the dish with scrunched baking paper helps it fit better and aids removal.
- Leftover coating chocolate can be combined with nuts to make quick chocolate mounds or used to create homemade chocolate freckles with sprinkles.
- Truffles can be frozen for up to three months; note chocolate may develop a white bloom but will still taste delicious.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 truffle
- Calories: 120 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 15 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg
