My Cooking Adventures

Chocolate Truffles

When I first saw this recipe, it looked easy enough, but at the same time I figured I would find a way to mess it up somehow. It's in my nature to mess up at least one recipe when I'm baking multiple things at a time. However, this truffles turned out fabulous! And I even went so far as to venture out and make a second batch with my own flavoring idea - mint!

Ingredients
1/2 pound semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 to 2 tablespoons dark rum, Grand Marnier, Bourbon, or other liquor
1/4 to 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa, confectioners' sugar, sweetened ground chocolate, or finely chopped nuts

Preparation
Put the chocolate in a bowl. In a small saucepan or microwave, heat the cream to a boil. Pour the cream over the chocolate and shake the bowl gently to settle the cream. Cover with a plate or lid and set aside until the chocolate melts, about 5 minutes. Whisk the mixture until smooth and shiny. Stir in the rum or other flavoring (this is where I used mint extract in my second batch - 2 teaspoons). Cover the surface of the chocolate with plastic wrap. Set aside in a cool place until the chocolate firms up, about 2 hours. (To speed this up set the bowl of chocolate over another bowl of ice and stir until the desired consistency.)

Line a baking sheet with waxed or parchment paper. Use 2 spoons to drop small mounds/balls of chocolate, about 1/2 to 1-inch high on the paper (depending on the size you want). Then chill your hands under a faucet of running cold water or by using an ice bath. Roll each chocolate mound between your open palms to make smooth round balls. *This was tough; I ended up leaving the balls in the fridge for 2 1/2 hours, and they were still a tad too soft when I was rolling them. I suggest leaving them overnight if possible, or at least 3 hours. It didn't hurt, they still came out fine, but I would have preferred them to be firmer.

Pour the cocoa or coating of choice into a cake pan or on a plate. Roll the truffles in the coating or use a clean spoon to pour the coating on the truffles. Repeat with all the truffles. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

To serve, scoop the truffles out of the cocoa with a fork or a slotted spoon. Put the truffles in small candy cups and serve now or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Recipe by: Food Network Kitchens

Rachael Ray's Strawberry Ricotta Flowers

I made these for my SIL's baby shower last summer, so when asked to do the desserts for a friend's baby shower, these were an easy choice. They are simple to make, and everyone loves them - kids and adults alike!

Ingredients
10 strawberries
1 cup ricotta cheese
4 tablespoons honey
Zest of 1 orange
10 mint leaves

Preparation
Hold a strawberry with the stem side in your hand. With a knife, make an X in the bottom of the berry, cutting almost 3/4 of the way into it. Make one more cut right through the middle of the X so it looks like a star.

In a medium-size mixing bowl, mix up the cheese, honey and orange zest. Scoop the mixture into a re-sealable plastic bag and snip off one corner to resemble a pastry bag. Gently squeeze the cheese mixture in the middle of the star shape slice you have made in each berry so it looks as if it has little petals. Garnish each berry with a mint leaf.

Recipe By: Rachael Ray