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.