Christmas Pudding Truffles (can be gluten free, includes Thermomix method)

Fun canapes, or a festive gift.

Inspired by pretty truffles I'd seen made last year with leftover Christmas pudding, I wanted to make something similar, but using the small fruit cakes that are widely available - and also available gluten free so making it even more accessible (do check the labels on the chocolate you use though, as some bars are prepared in factories handling wheat)!

           

If you don't want to use alcohol, you could just use pure apple, orange or pomegranate juice depending on your preference. I recommend using foodsafe gloves to roll up the balls as I feel it is much easier to handle them as well as being more hygienic, and you won't get into a sticky mess!

Makes around 25 truffles.

Ingredients

• 600g rich fruit cake (gluten free works equally well, e.g. Marks and Spencers)
• 50ml brandy
• 25ml Grand Marnier, Cointreau or Cherry brandy
• 150g dark chocolate (check label if making gluten free)

To decorate

• 100g white chocolate (check label if making gluten free)
• Dried cranberries, or red icing rolled into balls, or red glace cherries chopped up (check icing is gluten free if using)
• Green icing, or snipped up angelica or green glace cherries

Method
See below for Thermomix method

1. Melt dark chocolate in a clean dry bowl (over a bowl of hot water, or in the microwave on short bursts, crumble over cake (or you can pulse in a food processor) and sprinkle over alcohol, then combine everything thoroughly, pop into the fridge for 30-40 minutes to firm up, then roll into balls and chill.

2. To decorate - melt the white chocolate in a clean dry bowl, then either spoon on top with a teaspoon, or pipe from a piping bag, and add red and green decorations to resemble holly and berries.

Thermomix method

1. Break cake into chunks, and chop 4 seconds / Reverse / Speed 4. If necessary, repeat for another couple of seconds until large chunks are broken down. Set aside in a bowl and sprinkle over the alcohol and give a quick stir.

2. Break chocolate into chunks and add to bowl (no need to clean the bowl first) then grate 4 seconds / Speed 10. Scrape down and melt chocolate 1 minute 30 seconds / 60C / Speed 2.

3. Add crumbled cake to melted chocolate and mix 30 seconds / Reverse / Speed 3.

4. Tip back into bowl, chill for 30-40 minutes to firm up then roll into small walnut-sized balls (a heaped teaspoon of mixture per ball), set on greaseproof paper (you can use little petit four cases if you like - it helps with size consistency too!) and put into the fridge to chill before decorating.

5. To decorate - melt the white chocolate (you can use the same method as for the dark, above, or place in a small bowl and do short bursts in the microwave), then either spoon on top with a teaspoon, or pipe from a piping bag, and add red and green decorations to resemble holly and berries.