Chocolate Truffles With Pecans And Dried Cranberries Food

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES WITH PECANS AND DRIED CRANBERRIES

Steps:

• Stir cream, butter, syrup, and cranberry concentrate in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat until mixture comes to boil. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and whisk until melted. Mix in cranberries and pecans. Pour truffle mixture into 11x7-inch glass dish. Freeze until firm, about 50 minutes.
• Cut truffle mixture into 36 portions. Lift each out and roll between palms into round. Place on baking sheet. Roll truffles in powdered sugar or cocoa powder. Cover and chill up to 1 week. Serve cold.

PECAN AND CHERRY CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Spread the pecans on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until browned and toasted, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool completely, then chop very finely.
• Put the bittersweet chocolate, semisweet chocolate, vanilla, and salt in a large bowl. Heat the heavy cream and butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until the cream is steaming and the butter has melted; pour over the chocolate, then let sit for 5 minutes. Whisk together until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. If there are any bits of unmelted chocolate left, microwave in 30-second increments, stirring after each, until smooth. Add the pecans and cherries and stir to combine.
• Cool the mixture to room temperature and then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the mixture is firm but still pliable enough to scoop and roll, about 3 hours.
• Spread some sugar on a plate and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Shape heaping teaspoons of the chocolate mixture into balls and then roll in the sugar to coat. Store in the refrigerator.

CHOCOLATE-PECAN TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Preheat a broiler. Spread the nuts on a foil-lined baking sheet and place under the broiler for about a minute to toast them lightly and evenly. Do not allow them to burn. Set them aside.
• Shave the chocolate into a heatproof mixing bowl and place the bowl over a pan of simmering water until the chocolate is nearly all melted. Remove the bowl and stir the chocolate until smooth. Stir in the nuts and allow to cool to room temperature.
• Stir in the butter and the bourbon. Refrigerate the mixture until it is firm.
• When firm, remove from the refrigerator and allow to soften for about 15 minutes. Place the cocoa in a shallow dish. Using a spoon, scoop half-tablespoons of the chocolate mixture, form somewhat uneven balls about an inch in diameter and roll them quickly into the cocoa. Refrigerate until ready to serve. The balls can also be frozen without the cocoa for later use and dusted with cocoa just before serving.

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

Steps:

• For ganache, break chocolate into small pieces in a large aluminum bowl.
• Bring cream slowly to a light boil in a small saucepan over low heat.
• Pour boiling cream over chocolate and keep stirring until all the chocolate has melted and the batter is homogeneous. It is very important that there are no pieces of chocolate left here and that the batter is very smooth.
• Refrigerate for 15 minutes or until ganache is just thick enough to easily form truffle balls.
• Form even round balls and place on waxed paper, slightly flattening bottom.
• For coating, melt the chocolate in a double-boiler. If you don't have a double boiler, heat 2 inches of water in a small saucepan. Break chocolate into small pieces in a small aluminum bowl. Turn off heat and place bowl on top of saucepan with hot water. Let chocolate melt and stir until smooth. Place bowl of melted chocolate on a dry towel.
• Sift together cocoa powder and icing sugar.
• Dip each ball in the melted chocolate (slightly cooled, but not hardened); place back on waxed paper to let chocolate harden slightly.
• When chocolate is hardened enough so that it doesn't rub off on your finger, roll in cocoa mixture. Store truffles in covered container at room temperature in a slightly cool place away from heat.
• Here are a few variations. If coating in cocoa powder, sift first with a little icing sugar or it will be too bitter.
• White Chocolate Truffles: Using high quality white chocolate, follow the same recipe as above.
• Coconut Truffles: Make a white chocolate ganache, sprinkle in shredded coconut when ganache is still warm, and roll in shredded coconut instead of cocoa powder.
• Rum Raisin: Make a dark chocolate ganache, soak raisins in rum and drain, add raisins to warm ganache.
• Orange Grand Marnier: Make a dark chocolate ganache, soak small cubes of orange rind in Grand Marnier and drain, stir in orange cubes when ganache is still warm.
• Hazelnut: Make a milk chocolate ganache, stir in tiny pieces of hazelnut, and roll in chopped hazelnuts and/or cocoa powder.
• Pistachio: Make a dark chocolate ganache, crush unsalted pistachio's and stir into warm ganache, roll in crushed pistachios and/or cocoa powder.
• Coffee Truffles: Roll in coffee powder instead of cocoa.

CRANBERRY MILK-CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Make truffle mixture:
• Chop chocolate. In a small saucepan bring cream, butter and salt just to a boil and stir in cranberries. Remove pan from heat and let mixture stand 10 minutes. In a food processor pulse together chocolate and cranberry mixture until smooth and transfer to a small bowl. Chill truffle mixture, covered, until very firm, at least 12 hours, and up to 3 days.
• Line a tray with wax paper.
• With a 1-inch melon-ball cutter scoop out truffle mixture and between palms of your hands roll into smooth balls, transferring truffles to tray. Chill truffles until firm, about 3 hours. Bring truffles to room temperature, about 20 minutes, before proceeding.
• Coat and decorate truffles:
• Oil a baking sheet and line with parchment paper.
• Temper chocolate . (Alternatively, chop chocolate and in a double boiler or a small metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water melt chocolate, stirring until smooth.)
• Balance 1 truffle on a fork (do not spear) and hold fork over chocolate. Spoon chocolate over ball, letting excess drip off. Return truffle to tray and top with a small piece of dried cranberry. Coat and decorate remaining truffles in same manner. Chill truffles, uncovered, until set, about 3 hours. Truffles keep, layered between sheets of wax paper in an airtight container and chilled, 2 weeks. Bring truffles to room temperature before serving.

CHOCOLATE-PECAN TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Place chocolate and cream in small saucepan; cook on low heat until chocolate is completely melted, stirring frequently. Cool slightly.
• Beat cream cheese and powdered sugar in small bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Gradually add chocolate mixture, mixing well after each addition; cover. Refrigerate 4 hours.
• Shape chocolate mixture into 1-inch balls, using melon baller or teaspoon; roll in pecans. Store in airtight container in refrigerator for up to 1 week. Serve in paper liners.

COCONUT-CRANBERRY BARS WITH PECANS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a 9x13-inch baking dish with parchment paper or grease.
• Mix graham cracker crumbs and butter together in a bowl; press into the prepared baking dish.
• Stir cranberries, sweetened condensed milk, pecans, coconut, white chocolate chips, and bittersweet chocolate chips together in a bowl; gently spread over the graham cracker crust.
• Bake in the preheated oven until edges are golden brown, 25 to 28 minutes; cool on a wire rack.

CRANBERRY PECAN CHEESE BALL RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Mix softened cream cheese, sharp cheddar, dried cranberries, pecans, and green onions until well-combined.
• Form into a ball, then roll in more chopped pecans to coat.
• Serve with crackers of your choice.
• Enjoy!

GERMAN CHOCOLATE PECAN TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Place chocolate in a small bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream and corn syrup just to a boil. Pour over chocolate; let stand for 5 minutes (do not stir). Whisk chocolate mixture until smooth. Stir in 1/4 cup coconut, 1/4 cup pecans, extract and salt. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until firm., Shape chocolate mixture into 1-in. balls; roll in remaining coconut and pecans. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

MIXED GREENS WITH DRIED CRANBERRIES AND TOASTED PECANS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Toast the pecans in a shallow pan until they begin to release fragrance, about 5 to 7 minutes.
• Let cool completely.
• Combine the lettuce, mesclun, and onion in a salad bowl.
• Just before serving, pour on the dressing and toss well.
• Check to see if you need to add more dressing; you don't want to make the greens too wet.
• Serve on individual salad plates with the pecans and the cranberries sprinkled on each portion.
• To make Lemon-Soy Dressing: Place all the ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake vigorously.
• Yield: 3/4 cup.