I made these truffles for my friends on Valentine’s Day this year.  A group of us were meeting a few days before the 14th.  Since we only meet once a month, we celebrate whatever holiday is at hand.  I thought of making three different truffles.  The first one is my Dulce de Leche Ginger Truffle.  You can search for that recipe on the blog.  That is my own concoction.  The second one is an Orange Olive Oil Recipe.  I thought of this one, after I tasted some infused olive oils and bought one.  I don’t usually have infused oils in my pantry but so many people ask me about them, which makes me realize that a lot of you have them in your pantry.  So, I thought I would give you a sweet recipe for those oils.  The last one is a Dulce de Leche Chocolate Truffle.  My cousins in Argentina taught me this one.  I just added the chocolate coating.  Speaking of the chocolate coating, I cheat with this.  I use Ghiardelli or Guittard chocolate and I don’t temper my chocolate.  I just mix it with coconut oil or dulce de leche.  If I were entering a competition, then I would go through the trouble of tempering it.  Most people can’t tell the difference.

Do you remember those days in school in when we gave each classmate a Valentine?  My family never celebrated Valentine’s Day at home.  It just isn’t in the Argentine culture.  But one year, I did make a Valentine for my mom.  I think I was probably 10 years old.  Do you remember Sucrets lozenges?  (I keep dating myself with these stories.)  They came in little tins like Altoids do now.  I took a thick piece of paper.  Then applied bright pink lipstick and kissed it.  It took awhile to get my lips to imprint something that looked like a kiss.  I wrote  “I love you, Mom” on it.  Then I wrapped the little tin in some flowery contact paper and placed the note inside.  She still kept it through the years.  I came across it while going through her things after she had passed.  I’ve done the same with some cards and notes from my kids.  I like to keep them handy for when I need an extra boost, I can read them and remember that I am surrounded by a lot of love.

I hope you will love these truffles.  They are so simple to make.  Please give them a try and let me know how it goes.  I always love seeing your pictures, so pass them along to me.

Dark Chocolate Orange Truffles

Ingredients

8 oz. good quality Dark Chocolate (60%+)

1/2 cup Cream

1/4 cup Orange-infused Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Lemon-infused or any flavor you like can be used)

Confectioner’s Sugar for rolling.

See below for Chocolate Coating.

Place Dark Chocolate with Cream in a bowl.

 Place bowl over a pot with simmering water.  Make sure the bowl does not touch the water.

 Whisk gently until Chocolate is melted.  Take bowl off the pot and whisk Olive Oil in gently.  Pour mixture into a pan and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Prepare a cookie sheet with wax paper or a silk pat.  When Chocolate is ready, take out and use a melon baller to scoop Chocolate.

Coat hands with confectioner’s sugar to roll truffle.  Place on cookie sheet and repeat.

Once all the truffles are made, refrigerate 1 hour.  Then coat.

Dulce de Leche Chocolate Truffles

1/2 cup Dulce de Leche

20 Chocolate Wafer Cookies

Confectioner’s Sugar for rolling

See Chocolate Coating below.

Prepare a cookie sheet with wax paper or a silk pat.  Set aside.  With a food processor or ziploc bag and roller, crumble Chocolate Wafer Cookies into fine crumbs.  Place 1 cup of Cookie Crumbles 🙂 and 1/2 cup Dulce de Leche into a bowl and combine..

Place some Confectioner’s Sugar in a bowl.  With a melon baller, scoop some of the truffle and roll in the Sugar.  Place on cookie sheet.

Refrigerate for 10 minutes and coat.

TO COAT

There are many ways to finish truffles.  Here are a few:

-Place 1 cup of Chocolate in a double boiler and melt.  Dip the truffle with forks and place back onto cookie sheet.  Refrigerate 10 minutes until chocolate is set.

-Place 1 cup of Chocolate with 1/2 cup of Dulce de Leche in a double boiler. Use White, Dark, or Milk Chocolate.   Whisk gently until Chocolate has melted and Dulce de Leche is incorporated.  Dip truffle with forks and place back onto cookie sheet.  Refrigerate 10 minutes until Chocolate is set.

-Place 1 cup of Chocolate with 1/4 Coconut Oil in a double boiler.  Whisk gently until Chocolate has melted and Coconut Oil is incorporated.   Dip truffle with forks and place back onto cookie sheet.  Refrigerate 10 minutes until Chocolate is set.

-You can always coat with Confectioner’s Sugar only or Cocoa.  There are many other things you can add:  Chopped Almonds, Sweetened Coconut, Sprinkles, etc.  Use your imagination.

Make sure to add 1 cup of Chocolate to your shopping list and whatever other ingredient you would like to use for your chocolate coating.

These recipes are easy and fun.  Definitely a recipe to try with a young child who doesn’t mind getting his/her hands dirty.

Until next time, eat well, drink well, live well.

 

I’m really excited to share with you this Cookie recipe.  I found this Olive Oil Cookie recipe in a magazine that my local supermarket puts out monthly.  It was contributed by California Olive Ranch.  Those who have been to my Olive Oil Tasting Events, know that I often promote that EVOO when asked for a generally good and inexpensive oil.  I believe that the California Olive Ranch brand will always offer a product that can be labelled Extra Virgin and free from defects and that is reasonably priced.  Is it my favorite oil?  No, but it is a good every day olive oil and easily accessible.  Most markets carry it.  It comes in a square, green bottle.  It isn’t a very strong tasting oil and can be used for any purpose in your recipes.

Ok, well, back to the cookie recipe.  I have never heard of a cookie made with olive oil.  I haven’t really looked either.  Do you enjoy experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen?  I love to look at a recipe and try it, especially when I’m having people over.  My guests are my Guinea Pigs and they know it.  I will always make one or two dishes that I have never tried before when there is company.  It usually works out but it has failed occasionally.  What saves me is that I cook a lot of food.  I always want my guests to be able to have seconds if they like it and never run out of food.  This tradition of experimentation came out of need.  You see, my husband was pretty picky about food.  He only ate spinach, lettuce, corn and potatoes for veggies.  He wasn’t much for casseroles, neither am I.  And he didn’t like his food mixed together.  I have to admit that I had some of those issues.  I remember when I was in Catholic school.  The Eighth Graders were in charge of the First Graders in the cafeteria.  Their job was to help us eat our lunch.  I don’t think they enjoyed it that much.  I just remember them kind of barking out orders for us to finish our food.  Once we were done, they were freed of their responsibility.  So, they would tell us to eat one “compartment” of food at time.  We had those dishes that are like T.V. dinner trays.  The plan was to get us all to finish fast and be done with us.  Eat your peas, they would tell us.  Now, eat your mashed potatoes or whatever and we little ones would do as they said.  I ate like that for many years later.  Anyone else had the same experience?

Ok, well, back to the cookie recipe.  I like the taste of butter in certain baked goods.  Banana Bread is awesome made with olive oil and yet, I prefer the buttery taste of one made traditionally.  If you are looking for a good Banana Bread recipe, search for Aunt Grace’s Banana Bread on my blog.  I think it’s simple and delicious.  I generally don’t care for cookies.  I think they are a lot of trouble, especially if you have to frost or decorate them.  That’s why I’m drawn to brownies or bar cookies.  You put the batter in a pan and cut them into bars after baking.  I must say though that this Olive Oil Oatmeal Cookie is an easy recipe and you can substitute the chocolate chips for dried cherries or raisins.  I really like the white chocolate chips.  It gave the cookies a bit of a butterscotch flavor to them.  You be the judge.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 cup packed Brown Sugar

1 Tbsp. Vanilla Extract

2 Eggs

1 cup Unbleached Flour

1 Tbsp. Ground Cinnamon

1 tsp. Salt

1/2 tsp. Baking Soda

1/4 tsp. Ground Cloves

4 cups Rolled Oats

1 cup White Chocolate Chips

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  (If you have never worked with parchment paper, search for the Yogurt, Olive Oil and Pistachio Cake recipe and look for the TIPS below the recipe.)  I used a Silpat.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix together Flour, Cinnamon, Salt, Baking Soda and Cloves.

In a separate large bowl, whisk Olive Oil, Brown Sugar, Vanilla and Eggs until blended.

Add Flour mixture, Oats, and White Chocolate Chips to Olive Oil mixture and blend well.

Drop in balls (I used an ice cream scoop.) on the cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes.

Let cool on pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to rack.

Makes 30 cookies.  Each having 203 Calories, 10 g. Fat, 25 g. Carbs, 2.7 g. Protein.

We’ve been having cold and rainy days around here.  I listened to Louie Armstrong while I baked these.  His music just puts a smile on my face and a jig in my step.

Eat well, drink well, live well, until next time.