A Partridge In A Chocolate Truffle Tree Recipes

A PARTRIDGE IN A CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE TREE!

Steps:

• Spray the "trunk" of the tree with a colour of your choice such as gold or silver.
• Spray the plant pot the same colour, allow them to dry for at least 4 hours.
• Cover the foam ball with aluminium foil and wrap securely around, taping if necessary.
• Place some pebbles in the bottom of the plant pot and then push the florist's foam in, on top of the pebbles - wedging it in so that it is firm.
• Stick the "trunk" into the foil-covered ball - firmly - then push the other end of the "trunk" into the florist's foam in the prepared plant pot. Make sure it is firm and does not rock, add some more pebbles.
• Tie a ribbon around the top of the "trunk" at the base of the foil-covered ball - then tie a large bow.
• Take a cocktail stick and push it into your truffle, (or other sweets/candy) then push the other end into the foam ball making sure it is securely positioned.
• Do this for all the chocolate truffles until the "tree" is full.
• Add some white foam packing balls around the top of the plant pot to resemble snow - brush off any loose cocoa and serve with coffee!
• Don't forget to pin your Partridge nearby! My Partridge is a glass bird, that was a gift from JoyfulCook!

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE CAKE WITH RASPBERRIES

Steps:

• Make cake:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. and butter a 10-inch springform pan.
• Chop chocolate and cut butter into pieces. In a double boiler or a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water melt chocolate and butter with sugar, stirring until smooth (sugar will not be dissolved). Remove top of double boiler or bowl from heat and cool mixture to room temperature. Transfer mixture to a large bowl.
• Separate eggs, putting yolks in a small bowl and whites in a large bowl. Add yolks 1 at a time to chocolate mixture, whisking well after each addition. With an electric mixer beat whites until they just hold soft peaks. Sift flour over chocolate mixture and with a whisk fold flour and half of whites into mixture gently but thoroughly. With a rubber spatula fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly.
• Pour batter into pan, smoothing top, and bake in middle of oven 40 to 45 minutes, or until a tester comes out with moist crumbs adhering. Cool cake completely in pan on a rack. Cake may be made up to this point 2 days ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature.
• Make ganache:
• Chop chocolate and in a double boiler or a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water melt chocolate, stirring frequently until smooth. Remove top of double boiler or bowl from heat. While chocolate is melting, in a small saucepan bring cream just to a simmer and add espresso. Add cream mixture to chocolate with butter and liqueur and stir until smooth.
• Assemble cake:
• Remove side of pan and cut cake into 8 wedges. Invert wedges (so that top sides will be flat) onto a large rack set over a large shallow baking pan, spacing them at least 1 inch apart. Pour enough warm ganache evenly over wedges to coat them and let stand 5 minutes.
• Scrape excess ganache from baking pan into bowl of ganache and pour ganache over wedges again, making sure they are coated completely. (Remaining ganache may be chilled, covered, and reheated for using as a chocolate sauce.) Let wedges stand at room temperature until ganache is set, at least 1 hour, and up to 6.
• Just before serving, pick over raspberries and cover top of each wedge with raspberries.

HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Add chocolate chips to a heat-proof mixing bowl; add ginger, cinnamon, black pepper, salt, and cayenne. Heat cream over medium heat until it just starts to simmer. Immediately remove from heat and pour hot cream over chocolate. Shake bowl slightly to fully cover the chocolate; let sit for 2 minutes. Slowly whisk until well combined and a thick, glossy ganache forms.
• Cover ganache with plastic wrap and let cool to room temperature or until firm enough to scoop, about 15 minutes. Form about 2 teaspoons of the ganache into balls using a small sorbet scoop, or roll by hand. Place balls onto a baking sheet lined with silicone or parchment paper. Refrigerate until cold and firm, about 15 minutes, then re-roll as needed to smoothen.
• Place a heat-proof bowl over a pot of hot water on the lowest heat settling. Add most of the chocolate chips, reserving about 1/3 cup, to the bowl and let melt, about 5 minutes. In the meantime, break gingersnap in half and place on a plate next to a microplane. Stir the reserved chocolate chips into the melted chocolate until they disappear. Remove from heat.
• Dip truffles into the melted chocolate by hand or by holding each truffle with a fork and spooning the chocolate on top. Place truffles on the baking sheet and swirl the tops with your finger. Grate the gingersnap on top. Let truffles rest on the baking sheet until the coating dries and hardens completely, trimming away excess chocolate from the bases using the back of a knife if desired.

TRUFFLE TOPIARY

Steps:

• In a microwave-safe bowl, melt 1 package of chocolate chips. Add 3/4 cup condensed milk; mix well. Stir in orange extract. Cover and chill until firm enough to shape, about 45 minutes. Repeat 2 more times with remaining chips and milk, adding peppermint extract to 1 portion and almond extract to the other., Shaping truffles: Shape chilled mixture into 1-in. balls; place on 3 separate waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Chill 1-2 hours or until firm. , Melt white candy coating in a microwave-safe bowl. Dip orange-flavored balls in coating and return to waxed paper to harden. Melt remaining white candy coating again and dip balls once more to thoroughly cover. Let harden., Melt chocolate candy coating in a microwave-safe bowl. Dip peppermint-flavored balls in coating and return to waxed paper to harden., Roll the almond-flavored truffles in ground almonds. , Making the tree: Brush the Styrofoam cones with remaining chocolate if desired. Using toothpicks, stick 1 end into each truffle and the other end into the cone, covering entire cone with truffles.

PARTRIDGE IN A PEAR TREE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F
• In a mixing bowl, combine cranberry sauce, orange zest, raisins and pecans.
• In pastry-lined pie plate, spread one half of filling.
• Arrange pears, cut side down, in spiral fashion, on filling.
• Spread with remaining filling exposing the cheek of the pear.
• From remaining pastry, cut design of partridge in tree.
• Arrange on top of pie.
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until pastry is golden brown.