chocolate candies.

These homemade chocolate candies were the favors for Anna's baby shower.  They got a little melty in the Arizona heat, but they were delicious!  There are three types: Top left- coconut; top right- maple with walnuts; bottom - cherry.  Each flavor was a batch that made around 30 chocolates.  

For one batch you will need:

8 oz Bittersweet chocolate (Suggested: Ghirardelli baking bar)

2/3 cup heavy cream (up to 1 c. heavy cream)

3 T butter

1 t. vanilla extract

Add to each batch one or two of these things:

1 t. coconut extract

1 t. peppermint extract

1 t. almond extract

1 t. maple extract

chopped walnuts

chopped almonds

chopped pecans

4 oz cherry flavored baking morsels

4 oz peppermint flavored baking morsels

4 oz peanut butter chips

4 oz toffee chips

4 oz butterscotch chips

2- 3 oz amaretto

2- 3 oz baileys

2-3 oz kahlua

If desired, roll chocolates in: toasted nuts, cocoa powder, toasted coconut

Chop chocolate into small pieces.  Place in a mixing bowl.  If you want to add baking morsels or flavored chips to your chocolate truffle, place them in the mixing bowl with the chopped chocolate.  Over low heat, melt 3 T butter.  Add melted butter to your chopped chocolate.  In the same saucepan, heat heavy cream until the cream is just about to boil.  Pour over chopped chocolate.  Wait a minute, then carefully stir together chocolate, butter and cream.  Add vanilla extract and other extracts, if desired.  If adding liqueur, do so at this time.  Stir to combine until chocolate pieces and chips are all melted and mixture is smooth.  If adding nuts to your chocolates, stir in once all the chocolate is melted.  Let cool a few minutes.  (If all the chocolate won't melt after stirring for a few minutes, heat 1/3 c. more heavy cream until it is just about to boil.  Pour over the chocolate mixture and stir to combine.)  

If making square chocolate candies, pour chocolate mixture into a 13 by 9 pan, cover with foil, and refrigerate for one hour.  If the chocolate is hard enough after a hour, cut into small squares.  Place chocolate squares in a parchment lined dish and refrigerate until just before eating.  If making round chocolates, place mixing bowl into the fridge for one hour.  If chocolate is hard enough after a hour, using a ice cream scoop, scoop out truffles into a parchment lined dish.  If you want to roll your chocolates in nuts, cocoa powder or coconut, do so at this time.  Refrigerate until just before eating.  

Bring chocolate candies to room temperature before eating.  Enjoy!

xx.

val