Dark Chocolate Hibiscus Bark...Hmm...Slab

Obsessed, I am with this hibiscus tea that my cousin sent me for my birthday! Yesterday was the first day I opened it up to find beautiful dried hibiscus petals in tea bags. I thought it could be nice combined with chocolate and maybe a little coconut or sea salt..or both. This was surely an experiment and would be something that will be added to the re-do, re-work pile but still, fun enough to share. But maybe not exactly a winner unless you like a slab versus pieces of bark and it is an aquired taste, not everyone likes to munch on flower petals. On second try, I would chop up the hibiscus petals and then it would probably break up more easily, making it more of a bark and maybe add something in along with it. So if you want to remind mom of the fun days of making mud pies and getting dirty, this could be a fun part of dessert on Sunday! Just leave it as a slab and have everyone break off a piece and have lots of napkins nearby. ;) Enjoy your weekend and Mom's day!

• 3.5 oz. dark chocolate
• 1 hibiscus tea bag
• unsweetened coconut flakes
• flakes of sea salt, like Maldons

Steep the tea and enjoy it while you wait for the tea to dry out a little bit. I put them on a paper towel and let them sit out in the sun for about half an hour. Melt the chocolate, (use any percentage that you like) in a double broiler and place the petals on a piece of wax paper, fairly close together. Your bark, slab (lol) will be about 8 inches by 5 or 6. Spoon the chocolate onto the petals and sprinkle with the coconut flakes or sea salt or both. Allow to cool in the refrigerator until hardened.

Bee Pollen - Dark Chocolate Bark

Just in case anyone is in the mood for a sweet treat after mailing in those taxes...I've got just the thing. We all know the soothing effects of chocolate, giving us those good feeling, in-love vibes and what better day to enjoy a special piece of decadent chocolate than today? (Even though every day is a good day for having those good-feeling-vibes.) I've been obsessed with 90% dark chocolate but you can use whatever percentage of dark chocolate you like. The bee pollen gives it a light sweetness, so keep that in mind. I think this makes a nice gift also for that chocolate lover in your life. Take a deep breath in, exhale, take a bite and enjoy!

• (1) 3.5 oz. 90 % dark chocolate
• 1 tablespoon bee pollen granules

Melt the chocolate in a double broiler or a glass or metal bowl sitting securely in a pot of boiling water. (Please be careful when choosing this method. Use pot holders and don't add too much water into your pot.) Pour out the melted chocolate onto a piece of parchment or wax paper, it will pretty much spread out naturally, you can always help it out by smoothing it out with a spatula. Sprinkle the bee pollen evenly over the chocolate and allow to harden, in a cool pantry or in the refrigerator. Break into pieces. Makes about 3 servings. 

Cupcake Martini

Standing at the bakery, asking for a cupcake with the frosting on the side may be a little odd but it's just what you need when a birthday is coming up. And you need it deconstructed, so you can spike it! And birthday cupcakes need to be spiked, lol. You can spike your cupcake with whatever flavored vodka or liqueur you like and you can always use a little more. ;) The amount used here is enough to get a little flavor without it being soggy. And fresh whipped cream would be a dream but something about the sweetness and thickness of cupcake frosting, I just love and it reminds me of happy days. And birthdays are happy days especially when you have a spiked cupcake to help with the celebrating. I'm beginning the celebrating a little early, so happy weekend everyone!

• 1 regular size vanilla cupcake, cake part
• cupcake frosting
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla vodka
• nonpareils
• small martini glass

Cut your cupcake in quarters. Lay them on a plate, cut side up and sprinkle with the vodka. While the cupcake soaks up the vodka, using your finger tips, run the outer rim of the glass with a little water and dip into the nonpareils. Arrange the cupcake in the glass, pressing against the sides, so there is an opening in the center for the frosting. Next, using a decorating tip, pipe the frosting into the crevices and on top of the cake. Top with sprinkles. Serves 1 birthday girl or boy. Double and triple the recipe as needed and adjust the recipe according to how big your cupcakes and glasses are. Enjoy!

                           No matter how old I am, I will always love sprinkles!

Saffron Lemonade

The first real warm spring day, where the birds are singing, pointy green tips are coming up and a lemonade would be just perfect; not quite over ice yet but a nice room temperature lemonade. It's tart but not too tart and has that special touch of saffron flavor and just perfect to drink while you enjoy the crocuses finally blooming...It's been a long winter, pull up a lawn chair and enjoy!

• 4 cups water
• 2 jasmine green tea bags
• 1 teaspoon xylitol
• pinch of saffron threads
• tiny pinch of pink Himalayan sea salt
• squeeze of half a lemon

Brew your tea for the recommended time and remove the tea bags. Next stir in the xylitol, sea salt and the saffron and stir well. (You can substitute any kind of sugar that you like, in place of the xylitol. I like to use it because it's guilt free.) Allow to cool naturally and squeeze in the juice of the lemon. Serve at room temperature or over ice, if you like. Garnish with lemon slices. Makes 4 cups.

Strawberry Greek Yogurt Granita

Okay, so not all is lost with the frozen strawberry yogurt! It came out great, but not exactly super creamy like a traditional frozen yogurt, more like a creamy granita? Is there such a thing? I'm not too sure, but it sure beats all the calories of a creamy soft serve ice cream cone, that I have been fantasizing about. (Can you tell that Dairy Queen has opened up again? It has. And it's so tempting every time I pass it by.) So, I had to find an alternative to that creamy ice cream cone and thought this would be nice with all ingredients being pretty healthy, especially with it being sans sugar. It's a nice treat to have in the freezer. Enjoy!

• (1) 17oz. container of full fat Greek yogurt
• 4 tablespoons coconut milk creamer
• 3 cups roughly chopped strawberries
• 4 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon xylitol or more to taste
• pinch of sea salt
• fresh ground black pepper*optional

In a small sauce pan combine the strawberries, water, xylitol, salt and the pepper. (Add more xylitol if needed, depending on the sweetness of the strawberries.) Bring it up to a simmer for about 10 minutes over medium high heat, stirring occasionally. You want the strawberries to break down a bit. Adjust the seasoning once more. Allow your strawberry mixture to cool. Once cool, with an immersion blender, combine the yogurt, coconut milk creamer and the strawberry mixture. Place in a freezer overnight. Once ready to serve, thaw in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time, until it's not rock solid and you can break it up with a fork. (You can also freeze in individual containers and you can also, alternatively let it thaw in the refrigerator.) Serves 3.

Ugli (Pretty) Fruit Brulee

I detest that this pretty colored fruit is called ugly. "Can I have that ugly fruit over there?" I ask the guy at the fruit stand. It doesn't sound right and I can't imagine it encourages the young ones to bite into an ugly fruit-unless it's cool or something. "Yeah let's hang out and eat some ugly fruit and watch movies?" Am I over thinking this? Lol, maybe but I really like this fruit with an ugly name. Not only is it's color pretty but it's tasty with it being a mix of citrus flavors. And I think it's beautiful enough to serve for dessert. Enjoy!

• 1 ugli pretty fruit
• 1 teaspoon sugar

Cut your pretty fruit in half and if needed, trim the bottom so it sits better on your board. Sprinkle the sugar evenly over your fruit halves. (I tried both regular sugar and raw and the regular sugar worked better.) Now the fun part, torch that baby until it starts sizzling and bubbling. I used a Bernzomatic torch with the flame about 3-4 inches away from the surface of the fruit, waving it back and forth slowly so the sugar caramelizes. (When working with your torch please follow all safety precautions.) This could be great when having company over, just use a kitchen torch for a more classier look, lol. ;) Serve a half per person with a scoop of a citrusy gelato on the side with a little mint as a garnish.

Walnut Bon-Bons

If you leave some walnut bon-bons for Santa, I don't think he will be disappointed, as he bites into a Nutella covered walnut topped with creamy milk or deep dark chocolate and some sea salt flakes. You might wake up to find a letter from Santa, asking for the recipe. ;) The process is a little messy but it's the kind of making-mud-pies-type-of-fun, that's therapeutic and relaxing. Enlist the kids to help out, I'm sure it will be lots of fun! Enjoy! Everyone enjoy their Christmas! I hope it's filled with lots of merriment, laughter and good cheer!

• 1/3 cup Nutella
• 32 walnut halves
• 1/2 pound milk or dark chocolate
• smoked sea salt flakes like Maldons* optional

Chop your chocolate and place in a double boiler or with a metal bowl placed over a pot with a small amount of boiling water. Always be careful, when using the second method and use pot holders. Make sure you don't put too much water in the pot. Have your walnut halves ready and spoon on about a teaspoon or less of  Nutella onto your walnut, filling the crevices, (using a small rounded cheese knife worked great.) Using a fork to hold your walnut half, spoon on the melted chocolate. Balance between another fork, so the excess chocolate falls back into the bowl and place on parchment paper. Top with as little or as much sea salt as you like, if you like and allow to set in a cold pantry or refrigerator. Makes 32 bon-bons.

Step no. 5 is the most fun! ;)

Sweet Butter Sticks

One of my favorite cookies...shortbread. I love their butteriness. They are the perfect cookie. But it's the holidays, a time of year where everything has an extra special touch to it. And for all of the non-cookie makers that want to be but have burned too many batches of cookies and have kind of given up, (maybe we just need new stoves, maybe our oven temperatures are off? Hmmm...) such as myself, making an already mastered cookie into a special treat is easy, delicious and even your Aunt Betty may give you a dirty look across the table, as your cookies take center stage. (Quickly take the attention off your cookies onto hers and give her your secret and the relationship will be easily mended. Next year when she brings these same cookies over, exclaim as loud as you can, "Aunt Betty, these are the best cookies I've ever had! I need the recipe!" All will be well between the two of you. You can't steal Aunt Bettys' thunder.) These are too good and need to be shared. They are nice because they satisfy everyones' taste buds. You have minty, nutty, tart and a little savory with the salt. Double the recipe as needed. And of course you can use homemade shortbread cookies. ;) Enjoy and happy-happy weekend everyone!

• 8 rectangular shortbread cookies, like Walkers 
• a little less than 1/4 pound white chocolate, roughly chopped, the smaller the better
• crushed butter mints or butter candies
• roughly chopped dried cranberries
• chopped raw pistachios or walnuts
• smoked sea salt flakes

Melt your white chocolate in a double broiler or in a set-up of a small pot with boiling water and a bowl holding the chocolate in it. Stir until the chocolate is nice and smooth and be careful. Once your chocolate is melted dip the tops of the cookies in the chocolate, if you have some left over you can coat an entire cookie if you like. Top with your butter mints, dried cranberries, pistachios and salt flakes. You can do them all with one topping or a mix, like pictured.

Crushed Chocolate Covered Cherry Pie

One of my favorite things about this time of year are the chocolate covered cherries. I loved when that box was opened up to be enjoyed, they were such a treat. I saw those foiled wrapped jewels the other day at the drugstore and thought a crushed chocolate covered cherry pie would be delicious! And if I used cherry juice it would be kind of healthy? No? Lol, I'm trying. But seriously, this pie isn't too sweet, getting most of the sweetness from the chocolate covered cherries and the whipped topping. Enjoy!

• 1 ready made chocolate pie crust
• 8 oz. container frozen whipped topping plus 1 cup, softened
• 1 1/4 cup 100% cherry juice
• 8 chocolate covered cherries
• 2 envelopes unflavored gelatine

Begin by bringing 1/2 a cup of the cherry juice to a boil. Add in 2 chocolate covered cherries, finely chopped, allowing the chocolate to melt. With the remaining cold juice, in a shallow plate, top with the gelatin and let it sit for a minute. Stir in the boiling cherry juice and stir until dissolved. Fold in the whipped topping and pour into the pie shell. Let sit overnight until set. (I usually invert the top of the pie crust container, to cover the pie when putting it into the freezer and once set, move the frozen pie into a pie plate.) Once you are ready to serve, let it sit out for a little bit and chop the remaining chocolate covered cherries and top the pie with them. Serves 8.

Dark Chocolate & Snickerdoodle Crumb Covered Marshmallows

The only thing missing is the Nutella and it's in there, under the chocolate coating! We woke up to snow on the ground and it's the first snow of the season, giving it a reason to celebrate. It's a beautiful snow sticking to the trees and bringing the Christmas feeling into the air. And what better way to celebrate than with chocolate? These are nice to enjoy or to give away in the spirit of "Giving Tuesday." Enjoy!

• 1/2 pound bulk dark chocolate
• 12 big marshmallows
• 3 tablespoons Nutlella
• 1-2 snickerdoodle cookies (crushed)

In a double boiler, melt the chocolate or set up a pot with boiling water with a metal bowl sitting snugly in it. Be careful with having too much water in the pot or it can splatter boiling hot water. And handle the metal bowl with a pot holder and be careful. Cut your marshmallows in half crosswise and top each half with a pat of Nutella and drop into the melted chocolate one by one.
 

Coat the marshmallow with the chocolate using a spoon or spatula and pull out using two forks, balancing between both forks, to allow the excess chocolate to fall back into the bowl. Place the chocolate coated marshmallows on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet or baking pan. Repeat, until all the marshmallows are coated. Top with snickerdoodle cookie crumbs and place into the refrigerator to harden for about 30 minutes. Makes 2 dozen.

Cranberry Vanilla Ice Cream

I can never get enough cranberries on Thanksgiving day. When I was little, one of my favorite memories was getting together with my cousin on the Wednesday before and we would make apple pies, one classic and one studded with cranberries. The next day, I couldn't wait for a slice of my favorite pie, the apple-cranberry. The best part was finding those tart berries among the cinnamon-sweet apples. Last year, I put dried cranberries into the stuffing (it would have been helpful if I written down the recipe, lol, it was so good) and this year it's cranberry vanilla ice cream for dessert. Mmm...creamy and tart. A perfect ending to a Thanksgiving day feast. Enjoy!


Recipe for cranberry vanilla ice cream: makes four 1/2 cup servings.

• 1 pint vanilla ice cream
• 1 teaspoon Frangelico liqueur
• 1 cup prepared whole berry cranberry sauce

Bring your ice cream into the refrigerator and let it sit for 1 hour and then combine with the cranberry sauce and the Frangelico liqueur. Scoop into a freeze proof container and freeze overnight. It's nice to top your apple pie with or to have by itself. Top it with a crushed snicker doodle cookie, crushed hazelnuts or dried cranberries to make it extra special. Below you'll find a recipe for whole berry cranberry sauce, if you need it.

Recipe for whole berry cranberry sauce: makes a little under 2 cups.                                   

• 12 oz. cranberries
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup sugar (plus 2 tablespoons if you want your ice cream sweeter)
• 1 tablespoon honey
• generous pinch pumpkin pie spice

Combine everything in a heavy bottomed pot and cover. Bring to a boil on high heat. Once it comes to a boil and your cranberries start popping, lower the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes, occasionally stirring, especially towards the end. Allow to cool. You can use 1 cup for the ice cream and reserve the rest for the table for dinner or double the ice cream recipe if needed and use it all.
   

White Chocolate Bark: 2 Ways

Do you ever get excited about a food product? Or is it just me? lol. I saw a box of Maldon smoked sea salt at a food/cooking supply shop and was so excited, as soon as I found it, I started walking, maybe even skipping, towards the register and midway, I thought to myself, "I came here for something!?" What that something was, I managed to forget with the box of smoked sea salt in my hands, sweaty hands at that, lol. So all these ideas came to my mind and this is one of them, or two of them. For all you salty and sweet fans, you have a flaky smoked salt with the bite of fresh ground black pepper and a raw pistachio bark and a crushed spicy gingersnap cookie and smooth caramel bark with flecks of smoked sea salt on it. Hope you enjoy! Happy weekend everyone!

  

• 1/2 pound bulk white chocolate, (you can use milk or even dark, I was in the mood for a super sweet chocolate.)
• raw pistachio nuts, (not roasted)
• fresh ground black pepper
• smoked sea salt
• 7 caramel squares
• 1 ginger snap cookie

Begin by chopping up the chocolate, so it melts easier. Using a double-broiler or a pot with a metal bowl over it, pour the chocolate in, using a spatula to stir and speed along the melting process. Less water is always better when using the second method and use a pot holder, to handle the metal bowl, it can get pretty hot. Have a large cookie sheet set up with a sheet of parchment paper on it. Once the chocolate is melted, pour the chocolate in one block or two, depending on if are making the chocolate in one way or both. (Spreading out to an 1/8th of an inch or thicker if you like.) If making both barks, keep a small space between the poured chocolate.

Below is the cause of my sweaty palms! Are yours sweaty too or is it just me? If you want to make your own smoked sea salt, which can be fun, here is a recipe (I used some of it on the gingersnap & caramel bark) but just a warning, make it on a really sunny day while you use the grill. Brrr...

Begin the fun, sprinkle the pistachios, fresh ground black pepper and sea salt on the chocolate!

Melt the caramels with a drop of water in a heavy bottomed pot, stirring with a spatula until melted. Drop spoonfuls of caramel on the chocolate and sprinkle the crushed gingersnap cookie over the chocolate and caramel. Finish it off with a sprinkling of smoked sea salt. Let the bark cool in the fridge, until firm about 15 minutes. Break up the chocolate and enjoy!

Fried Apples with Mascarpone Cheese & Honey

It's apple picking season! And if you are lucky enough to get to an apple orchard this season, go and have a great time! The weather is perfect for it. It's cool and crisp outside and soon enough, there will be crackling leaves under foot. Wear a cozy sweater and enjoy some hot apple cider, on your walk through the orchard. It's a magically time of year, to be enjoyed. As you arrive home, with an eager heart, dumping out those apples onto the kitchen table, keep this recipe in mind. You can make these the minute you get home from the orchard and have that apple pie craving satisfied, quickly. Try to use crisp apples and if you are unsure, ask the people at the orchard if the apples would be suitable for frying. And eat them nice and hot. Enjoy!

• 2 apples, peeled and sliced about a 1/4 inch thick (I used Golden Delicious & Granny Smith)
• 1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• a pinch of pumpkin pie spice
• flour for dredging
• milk (I use a little at a time, as needed)
• canola oil for frying
• 1/2 cup Mascarpone cheese
• 1 oz. light cream
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• honey

Start out by making your Mascarpone cheese spread, so it's ready for the hot fried apples. Using a whisk, combine the Mascarpone cheese, light cream and vanilla extract. Add a pinch of cinnamon if you like, to the dip. Set aside until the apples are ready. Set up your breading station, plates for the flour and bread crumbs, and a nice small bowl for the milk. Have an empty plate for the breaded apples. Into the bread crumbs, add the cinnamon and the pumpkin pie spice and combine well. First dredge the apples in the flour, followed by the milk and lastly in to the breadcrumbs. Heat up the canola oil in a heavy bottomed pan, on medium heat until nice and hot. Once hot, carefully put in the breaded apple slices. Fry each side for about 2 minutes, until golden brown. Try not to crowd the pan, and drain on paper towels. Set up your plate with the apples, Mascarpone cheese and honey. This serves 2, double as needed, figuring an apple per person.

Pumpkin Pie Greek Yogurt

One of the prettiest things about fall, are pumpkins. I've been so excited about Halloween already. I know, I know, I am rushing along the season. I had to talk myself out of decorating the house. The ripped up black curtains were almost up! And on top of that, I was picking out pumpkins, for the front steps. I had to step away, the main reason being, the squirrels will have a full sit down dinner, enjoying those pumpkins and lucky me will have to clean up after them. So I stepped away from the pretty pumpkins and at the same time, I don't want to rush this beautiful time of year, but I do want a little taste, so I made this pumpkin pie Greek yogurt. It's almost as good as the real thing. Creamy, spicy and has that pumpkin pie flavor, that only autumn gives. Enjoy!

• 17.6 oz. Greek yogurt
• 5 tablespoons pumpkin fruit butter
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• generous pinch pumpkin pie spice
• 2 ginger snap cookies
• 1 teaspoon raw pumpkin seeds *optional

Combine the yogurt, pumpkin butter, honey, vanilla extract and pumpkin pie spice in a small bowl. Adjust the seasonings, adding more spice, fruit butter or honey, depending on the sweetness and flavor of the pumpkin butter. Crush your ginger snap cookies and combine with the pumpkin seeds. Sprinkle them around the rim of the bowl, mimicking the crust and the best part, if you let it sit a little, it gets as moist as the real thing! Serves 2.

Nutella & Mascarpone Cheese Dessert Platter

I'm not much of a dessert person but I do love Nutella! And if you are having company over, this is such a quick platter to put together to satisfy that sweet tooth! Enjoy!

• 1 8oz. container mascarpone cheese
• 1 tablespoon of Kahlua or more
• 4 graham crackers broken up
• a few thin slices multi-grain bread, grilled (try to get one with nuts & seeds)
• 3/4 cup Nutlella or more
• 2 tablespoons hazelnuts
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1 ripe banana, sliced
• 1 pat unsalted butter 
• sprinkling of cinnamon
• a few pieces of dark chocolate 





Combine the mascarpone cheese and the Kahlua and spread on the platter. Spread your Nutella down and grate some dark chocolate over a corner of the mascarpone cheese. Break up the chocolate into little bite size pieces. It's nice to have that little touch of bitterness. In a separate bowl, combine the hazelnuts with honey. Add to the platter. This is a great platter because you can really do what you like with it. If you aren't a honey fan, you can leave the hazelnuts plain, on the side or omit them altogether. For the banana mixture, melt the butter and add the banana sauteing until they brown and the bananas begin to break down. They don't take long, about 5 minutes, stirring often, stir in the cinnamon and add to the platter. (The bananas are in the corner above the multi-grain bread, sorry not too much exposure but if you are a banana lover, add this to the platter!) Surround with the graham crackers and the multi-grain bread. I like adding the multi-grain bread because it gives the sweetness of all of the spreads a little bit of a break, almost like the crust on a sweet fruit pie. On second thought, if you are a fan of  peanut butter, it would be great with the Nutella and mascarpone cheese and maybe a little sea salt on the side! The combinations are endless, have fun! This platter serves about 4.

Blueberry Crumble Ice Cream Soup

I can't be the only one out there that likes ice cream soup, lol. This is nice because it's not just melted ice cream, it's almost like a soft pudding and you can use this "formula" for any fruit based ice cream that goes well with Nutella. I was in the mood for blueberries, so I got blueberry crumble ice cream but this works with cherry vanilla, just top with fresh cherries. A banana chocolate ice cream works great, just top with fresh banana slices. A caramel ice cream would be delicious! Just top with some salt flakes! The list goes on and on for all you ice cream soup lovers out there! Happy ice cream soup making!

• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 3 heaping tablespoons blueberry crumble ice cream
• 1 heaping tablespoon Nutella
• a few fresh blueberries for garnish
• a few hazelnuts, crushed with a knife, for garnish

Combine the sour cream, ice cream and Nutella until well combined. Top with your garnishes! This serves one. Stay cool and enjoy! :)

Greek Yogurt with Blackberry Sauce

Greek yogurt is a great substitute for ice cream. I know, it's a bit of a stretch, especially because my favorite part of a perfectly swirled soft serve ice cream cone are the rainbow sprinkles. It's just not the same on Greek yogurt, trust me, I've tried. lol But when topped with a blackberry sauce and pistachio nuts, it really does becomes a sweet treat!

• (2) 7oz. containers of Greek yogurt
• 6oz. of blackberries
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup agave syrup
• 1 teaspoon dark brown sugar
• 2 pinches cinnamon
• a little freshly grated nutmeg
• juice of half a lemon
• a few mint leaves
• 2 teaspoons pistachios, chopped 

In a saucepan, combine the blackberries, water, agave syrup, dark brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and bring to a boil. Add in the lemon juice and a mint leaf chopped. Keep at a simmer on medium heat, uncovered until it reduces into a sauce, about 30-45 minutes. Keep an eye on it, because it can burn easily. This makes 2 servings. In each bowl, place a heaping teaspoon of the hot blackberry sauce (it's a nice little surprise on the bottom), top with the Greek yogurt, smooth the surface and make a small well and add another heaping teaspoon of blackberry sauce. Garnish with the pistachio nuts, a few mint leaves and enjoy!



So yummy, the sprinkles won't even be missed ;)

 

Raspberry Wine Truffles

Mother's Day is this Sunday, a day to celebrate the moms in our lives, and make them feel extra special. And the one thing that comes to mind, when making someone feel special besides lots of hugs and kisses are truffles. Truffles are just decadent little balls of pure bliss, I love a good truffle. This recipe makes about 2 dozen. Enough for mom and you. ;)

• 1 pound of dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 3 oz. of heavy cream
• 2 oz. of raspberry wine, I used Tomasello
• 3 pinches of ground cinnamon *optional
• 10 grinds of the black pepper mill *optional
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa

In a double-boiler, melt your chocolate, mixing with a spatula occasionally, on high heat. Once melted, slowly add your heavy cream, incorporating it into the melted chocolate, (still over high heat). Add your wine in and mix it in thoroughly. At this point, you can mix in your cinnamon and ground pepper. Take it off the heat slowly, and pour it into a bowl, cover it and put it into the fridge to set. (I left it in overnight). Keep in mind, once you are ready to make your truffles, you want to bring the chocolate up to room temperature (an hour or two is good). And set up a little station for yourself, the bowl of chocolate, a plate with your unsweetened cocoa, and a plate for the ready made ones. I used a 1-1/4 inch cookie dough scoop to form the truffles, forming them and setting them aside. You get a little arm work-out in, lol  Then between your hands, roll your scooped chocolate into a tight ball, it's a messy process, but a delicious one. Then roll your truffles, a few at a time into the unsweetened cocoa, shaking off the excess cocoa powder. And now the most important step, enjoying them...