My apologies for the delay on these incredible cacao concoctions you’ve all been waiting for. I’ve been touring my parents through the mountains of Costa Rica and have not had a minute to myself. But all good things are worth waiting for, and so I bring you only the best. These recipes are not my own, but contributed by friends who have a thing for chocolate. They are all natural creations made from ingenuity and love. I hope you have a chance to try them at home or prepare as a gift for a friend this holiday season.
Simple Sengalese Scrub - Brought to you by Sri Lankan chocolate lover, Roshaney Hetirachi
Simple Sengalese Scrub - Brought to you by Sri Lankan chocolate lover, Roshaney Hetirachi
Recipe
1 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp organic fair trade coffee grinds
1 ½ tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil
All you do is mix these basic ingredients in a dish, and stir them until you get the consistency you’re looking for. You want it to be grainy for maximum exfoliation, but lubricated enough to apply smoothly over your skin. And, it should have a dark, rich color. Rub it all over your body, or desired areas, and let it sit for about 10 to 15 minutes. Then rinse off in a luke warm shower.This is so easy, you have to try it. Your skin is left feeling energized (coffee), moisturized (oil) and nourished (cacao). And if that’s not enough, Roshaney says, “Your butt will be so smooth!”
Tufvesson Truffles - Brought to you by Swedish chocolate lover, Filip Tuffvesson
1 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp organic fair trade coffee grinds
1 ½ tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil
All you do is mix these basic ingredients in a dish, and stir them until you get the consistency you’re looking for. You want it to be grainy for maximum exfoliation, but lubricated enough to apply smoothly over your skin. And, it should have a dark, rich color. Rub it all over your body, or desired areas, and let it sit for about 10 to 15 minutes. Then rinse off in a luke warm shower.This is so easy, you have to try it. Your skin is left feeling energized (coffee), moisturized (oil) and nourished (cacao). And if that’s not enough, Roshaney says, “Your butt will be so smooth!”
Tufvesson Truffles - Brought to you by Swedish chocolate lover, Filip Tuffvesson
Recipe
7 oz chocolate made from pure cacaco
3.5 fl oz heavy cream
1.5 oz buttercocoa powder
Combine chocolate, cream, and butter in a bain-marie and melt the chocolate gently whilst stirring. When concoction is smooth, remove from heat and pour in a half-size baking pan. Let cool on the counter or in the fridge. When cold and firm, cut into 20-24 pieces, roll each piece into a ball, then dip them in cocoa powder to prevent stickiness.
This is the basic recipe. The butter is to taste, 0-3 ounces. The more butter, the silkier and softer the truffles get. The best way of creating a bain-marie is to fill a big pot with water, then put a smaller one inside, making sure the water can't get into the smaller one. If you don't have pots that fit this way, you can heat the cream and butter, remove from heat, and stir in the chocolate. Make sure you've broken the chocolate down to small pieces first.
7 oz chocolate made from pure cacaco
3.5 fl oz heavy cream
1.5 oz buttercocoa powder
Combine chocolate, cream, and butter in a bain-marie and melt the chocolate gently whilst stirring. When concoction is smooth, remove from heat and pour in a half-size baking pan. Let cool on the counter or in the fridge. When cold and firm, cut into 20-24 pieces, roll each piece into a ball, then dip them in cocoa powder to prevent stickiness.
This is the basic recipe. The butter is to taste, 0-3 ounces. The more butter, the silkier and softer the truffles get. The best way of creating a bain-marie is to fill a big pot with water, then put a smaller one inside, making sure the water can't get into the smaller one. If you don't have pots that fit this way, you can heat the cream and butter, remove from heat, and stir in the chocolate. Make sure you've broken the chocolate down to small pieces first.
Flavoring Tips from Filip:
There are three ways of flavoring your truffles. One is to add flavoring to the batter, the second to use a filling, and the last is to roll them in something other than cocoa powder, e.g. grated coconut or citrus peel. Filling is the trickiest. For flavoring you can add some vanilla extract, or 3 table spoons of a liqueur. Another option is to use grated citrus peel. If you want to use a filling (which in my mind is the optimal truffle) you can simply take your favorite preserve, or make your own by crushing fruit or berries, heat it up and add a starch such as potato starch, flour, or Maizena. Finish with some liqueur. When making the truffles, shape them like a spoon, i.e. oval and concave. Add filling to the indent and gently fold the truffle together. As this takes longer than plain truffles, make sure they're really cold or they'll melt in your hands creating a (yummy) mess.
What I love most about these ideas is that they come from the creativity of people I know and love rather than off the web or out of the latest cook book. Look forward to more plugs on friends with a creative flare. In the meantime, Happy Thanksgiving!
Many thanks,
Erin
There are three ways of flavoring your truffles. One is to add flavoring to the batter, the second to use a filling, and the last is to roll them in something other than cocoa powder, e.g. grated coconut or citrus peel. Filling is the trickiest. For flavoring you can add some vanilla extract, or 3 table spoons of a liqueur. Another option is to use grated citrus peel. If you want to use a filling (which in my mind is the optimal truffle) you can simply take your favorite preserve, or make your own by crushing fruit or berries, heat it up and add a starch such as potato starch, flour, or Maizena. Finish with some liqueur. When making the truffles, shape them like a spoon, i.e. oval and concave. Add filling to the indent and gently fold the truffle together. As this takes longer than plain truffles, make sure they're really cold or they'll melt in your hands creating a (yummy) mess.
What I love most about these ideas is that they come from the creativity of people I know and love rather than off the web or out of the latest cook book. Look forward to more plugs on friends with a creative flare. In the meantime, Happy Thanksgiving!
Many thanks,
Erin