Embrace the start of the festive season in decadent style with these easy but impressive truffles for your next gathering - if you manage not to eat them all before the guests arrive.

Recipes & Styling Natalie Homan | Photographs Brendan Homan

Dark chocolate & pedro ximenez truffles
makes 36

500g dark chocolate (>50%)*, buttons or roughly chopped
100g butter
3 large eggs, separated
60ml pedro ximenez sherry
3 tbsp creme fraiche
Dutch processed cocoa powder

Melt chocolate and butter over a double boiler**. Meanwhile, whisk egg whites to soft peaks in the bowl of a stand mixer and set aside (they will break down somewhat, this is fine). Place egg yolks and sherry in the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk until pale. Add the melted chocolate mix and creme fraiche, mix well. Add whisked egg whites and mix well to combine. Continue to mix until cooled to room temperature. Scrape mix into a container, cover and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours.

Place a layer of sifted cocoa powder on a baking tray with a lip. Roll heaped teaspoons of the truffle mix into a ball and place on the tray. Sift cocoa powder over the truffles and shake the tray back and forth to coat the truffles.

Refrigerate the truffles to firm up slightly before serving.

 

*It is well worth using the best quality chocolate you can find, as it is truly the star of this recipe.

**A double boiler is created by placing a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water on the stove. Ensure the level of water does not touch the base of the bowl, especially when melting chocolate, as this will cause the chocolate to overheat and seize.

This recipe first appeared in the September 2021 issue of SALIFE magazine.