Baileys Chocolate Truffles - Christmas Recipe

Now look what's happened, I've forgotten my words and everything!

I love Christmas bling and edible gold leaf is a must at this time of the year, just take a deep breath and forget how ridiculously expensive it is. It's a pain to use and sticks to everything except what you want it to stick to. My truffles are so delicious and melt in the mouth that they are worthy of a little adornment.

The recipe is Baileys, coffee, chocolate, butter and cream - yum, yum yum!  Easy to make and far nicer than most truffles you can buy.

Makes: 12
300g plain chocolate
2 tbsp whipping cream
1 tbsp cold strong fresh espresso coffee
2 tbsp Baileys
55g softened salted butter
To decorate:
edible gold leaf
sifted cocoa powder
sifted icing sugar

You will need:  12 sweet cases, baking trays and clingfilm!

Method:
1. Add 100g of the chocolate and the cream to a bowl set over a saucepan of warm water.  Leave until melted.  Remove the bowl from the pan and add the espresso, Baileys and butter, whisk together until smooth and thickened. Cool, cover with clingfilm and chill until firm.
2. Line a baking tray with cling film. Remove the mixture from the fridge and when the mixture becomes pliable roll teaspoons of the mixture into balls using the palms of your hands. Place the truffles onto the tray.  Cover with more clingfilm and place in the freezer.
3. Remove the tray from the freezer.
4. Take a fresh tray and cover with clingfilm. Melt the remaining 200g of dark chocolate. Dip the truffles into the chocolate to coat. Place on the tray. When the chocolate is set place a tiny piece of gold leaf on top of the truffle to decorate.  Roll the remaining truffles in either the cocoa or icing sugar.

Recipe: Baileys and Walnut Cupcakes

I am mostly drawn towards coffee and walnut cupcakes but this time I left out the coffee in the cake batter and used Baileys in the buttercream.  Good idea - yes?

For the cake batter I prefer to use salted butter or to make them lighter substitute some of the butter with margarine.  I always use unsalted butter for my buttercream, it's all down to individual taste, and I know salted this and that is everywhere, but I don't think salted buttercream will ever be for me.

The recipe below is for 9 cupcakes - cupcake cases vary and these are medium size to allow for rising but leaving enough room for the buttercream topping.

This month I need to concentrate on eating less sugar, but failed, I grazed on seeds and then ate a slice of Christmas Cake........

You will need:  9 muffin cases and a muffin tin

For the cupcakes:

175g softened butter
175g caster sugar
175g self raising flour
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla essence
100g chopped walnuts

For the Icing:

250g softened unsalted butter
500g sieved icing sugar
1 tbsp Baileys
Walnut halves to decorate

1. Preheat the oven to 180oC.
2. Add all the cake ingredients in a bowl and beat for two minutes with an electric mixer. Stir in the walnuts.
3. Spoon the batter into the muffin cases.
4. Bake for 20 minutes or until cooked.  Cool for 10 minutes and then place on a rack to cool.
5. For the icing: beat the icing sugar and butter together until fluffy.  Stir in the Baileys.
6. Pipe or spread the buttercream over the cupcakes and top with walnut halves.
7. Can be frozen decorated.

BAILEYS CHEESECAKE

I can't resist making this at least once a year and somehow this dessert seems very appropriate for the festive season especially if you, like me, enjoy Baileys.

Cheesecake doesn't come much easier than this recipe, it's taken from the back of a Philadelphia Cream Cheese pack - too many years ago to remember.

The wonderful thing about this particular recipe is the ease with which it is made and definitely no cooking skills are required here, also it is a no bake recipe. Another positive, it isn't cloying which can be a characteristic of many cheesecake recipes. This definitely benefits from an overnight chill in the fridge and eaten the next day to give the flavours a chance to mingle and develop.
Mine, didn't manage to benefit from an overnight stay in the fridge. If you do let it sit in the fridge overnight the air bubbles in the cheesecake layer will disappear.


Serves: 10 people

A 20cm or 22cm springform cake tin. Grease the base. Put to chill until required.

For the base you will need: 225g digestive biscuit crumbs, 75g melted butter, 2 tablespoons cocoa powder.

Filling: 1 packet lemon jelly (dissolve in 150ml boiling water, allow to cool), 2 x 225 packs Philadelphia (softened at room temperature), 150g caster sugar, 4 tablespoons of Baileys (or to taste), 100ml milk (I use semi-skimmed), 100ml whipping cream (lightly whipped).

1. Mix the biscuit crumbs, butter and cocoa. Press into the base of a buttered springform cake tin. Put to chill until required.
2. Beat the Philadelphia until smooth, Add the sugar, Baileys, milk and dissolved and cooled jelly. Blend well. Fold in the cream.
3. Pour onto the prepared crumb base and chill until firm and set.
4. Decorate.