Chocolate Cherry Truffles

We are full swing into the Christmas baking here!  My children have "helped" me make these morsels to give to our beautiful school teachers this year.  I make a Quadruple batch, put about a dozen into a lovely mug, cover with clear cellophane and have each of my children write a note to their teacher, thanking them for teaching them this school year.  Here in Australia our school year is January - December, Christmas - being during our summer, is our summer holidays.  I have make enough to give to our teachers for next year and our school principle too.  Yep, it's always handy to have those in high places on your side - hahahaha!

This recipe is a bit sticky and fiddly and is one of the most expensive items I have posted.  I am usually very budget conscious and because of this, I have been buying the ingredients for these over the course of the past 3 weeks.  I waited for the ingredients to be on sale.  As I made such a large batch, it cost about $30.  I should mention that this will give me 8 teachers gifts, 1 principle gift and enough for a few close friends too. So, $30 for 12 gifts wonderful homemade gifts is very reasonable. As they make a gorgeous gift and present well I thought I'd share the recipe with you.

Cherry Ripes are a Cherry Coconut mix that is covered in dark chocolate.  My husband and third son loves them!!  The cookies/biscuits I have used contain NO cream filling.  They are just simple and plain and perfect for creating truffles with.  Using the plain chocolate cookie/biscuit adds a depth that using a vanilla cookie/biscuit didn't achieve.  If you are wanting to be a bit fancy, feel free to add a splash of cherry or coconut liquor to your dough, before you roll into truffles

I should mention that these are not only moorish, but rich.  Please don't attempt to eat more than a few at a time.  This recipe will yield about 20 truffles.  This recipe can be doubled with ease.  Keep a damp washer close by as your benches will get messy.  I recommend you wear that apron you have hiding somewhere.

3 full size Cherry Ripe bars
1 packets of Chocolate cookies (I used Chocolate Ripple)
4 vanilla cookies (I used scotch finger's)
1/2 can condensed milk
1/2 cup packet glace cherries
1 cup desiccated coconut

In your food processor, mince up the Cherry ripe bars.  Add the glace Cherries and mix again so they are minced and combined with the bars.
Remove the cherry mass from the processor and pop into a bowl.
Add the Cookies (both types) to the food processor and turn into fine crumbs.
Add the Cherry mix and the condensed milk and and blitz until it all comes together to make a firm ball of dough.
Place the coconut in the bowl that held the Cherry mix.
Now you want to grab teaspoon fulls of dough, roll into even sized balls (about the size of a  medium sized cherry) and roll in the coconut.
CAUTION: I recommend using wet hands to roll the truffles, wet hands repel the dough from sticking to your hands and fingers.  I make all the truffles first, wash and dry my hands well then roll the truffles in the coconut.

Grandma Perritt's Pavlova

Grandma Perritt is my Aunty's mum.  My Aunty Barb is married to my Dad's brother, Uncle Robert.  I spent much of my young years with my Aunty and Uncle in their home.  Grandma Perritt lived quite a bit further away, but this didn't prevent my parents from visiting her and my Nana Chadwick (my mum's mum).  I learnt to walk in Grandma Perritt's home.  Even though I was not her "actual" grand-daughter I was never made to feel less than by this amazing woman, it's because of this that I lovingly called her Grandma, just like my cousins who were lucky enough to be her biologial grandchildren.

Grandma Perritt and her husband had 6 children, whether being a mother of a large brood made her a fabulous cook out of necessity or she was lucky enough to be naturally talented in this area I will never know.  I was lucky enough to be given this recipe by my mother who was given this recipe by Grandma Perritt as a young mum. My mother married very young (18) and wasn't the best of cooks.  Her mum,  my Nana, wasn't much of a cook either (it was common knowledge in the family and her friends, bless her soul) so she was unable to pass on any cooking skills.  Grandma Perritt took my mother under her wing and taught and shared numerous recipes with her.  This one is by far the most popular and I have shared this more times than I can remember.  Grandma Perritt sadly has passed on, by lives on in memory every time I make or share this recipe.

Pavlova should only be "dressed" or topped with cream and fruit JUST before you serve it.    Suggested fruit to dress your Pav with are: sliced bananas, kiwi fruit, passionfruit pulp, strawberries, canned and well drained peach slices, grapes, and mangoes.  The top should look like a fruit salad.  Dressing it too early will cause the crunchy Pavlova crust to become soggy and limp.  This recipe will give you 6 generous serves but can be doubled and tripled with ease (great for when you're hosting Chirstmas or a party).

This Pavlova is nothing like to pre-packed eggy, crunch free ones you can buy in boxes in the bakery section of grocery stores, this is the real deal and worth every minute of preparation for the end result. A real Pavlova has a crunchy crust and a marshmallow centre.  A real Pavlova will sink in the middle.  Sadly, I'm severely allergic to eggs (it was my favourite until 6 years ago when my allergy started) so enjoy a slice for me!

Recipe:

4 egg whites
1 cup caster sugar (super fine sugar)
1 dessertspoon vinegar
1 teaspoons corn flour

Dressing of Pavlova:

600ml (a pint) cream whipped
2 cups of canned fruit salad - well drained
6 large strawberries, sliced
2-4 passionfruit pulp

Pre-heat your oven to as hot as it will go.  Line a pizza tray with parchment paper and set aside.
In a large clean, oil free glass or ceramic bowl add the egg whites and beat until "soft peak" stage, this means, when you lift the beaters out of the egg whites, the peaks lift up then fold on the top to create a "peak".  If they fold in half down low, keep beating and try again.
Add the sugar, a tablespoonful at a time.  Beat until totally dissolved (5-7 minutes)
Turn your beaters down to low and add the vinegar and cornflour.  Beat on low for a full minute.
Use a metal spoon (no plastics!) and heap the raw pavlova mix onto the pizza tray.  I aim for a 20cm (8 inch) diameter.  Heap it on top of each other and use the back of the spoon to create peaks (to look pretty).
Pop into the pre-heated oven, reduce the heat immediately to 120oC for 1 hour.
After one hour turn off the oven and leave the Pavlova in the oven for a further hour.
Open the oven door and leave the Pavlova inside until room temp. (a couple of hours).
Transfer the Pavlova to a serving plate (use 2 spatula's to do this).
Dress the Pavlova JUST before serving.
Whip the cream (I like to use vanilla and icing sugar) and pop on top of the now room temp. pav.
Place all the fruit in a bowl and mix well, gently pile on top of the cream.
Slice and serve!!


Happy Cooking!
Elizabeth  x