Quick Easy Apricot And Nut Truffles Food

FRUIT AND NUT TRUFFLES (SUGARPLUMS)

Steps:

• .Place all ingredients into a food processor and blend until a ball forms (it should take about 2 minutes).
• With wet hands, roll into balls (about the size of a large cherry) then roll into the extra sugar.
• Store in an airtight container for upto 2 weeks.
• Makes 25 - 35 truffles.

APRICOT ALMOND DRIED FRUIT TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Place toasted almonds, oats, and vanilla wafers in the bowl of a food processor, and process well - until fine crumbs.
• Remove 3/4 cup of the crumb mixture and set aside.
• Add almond paste and apricots to the remaining almond, oat mixture in the food processor.
• Pulse until mixture is well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl several times, and then process mixture until smooth.
• "Batter" will be sticky, but should not be too wet or crumbly.
• If apricot mixture seems too wet, add additional nut-oat crumbs, 1 Tbs at a time. If mixture seems too crumbly, add water 1 tsp at a time.
• Use a teaspoon to scoop out batter and roll into 1-inch truffle sized balls.
• Roll each ball in the remaining nut-oat mixture.
• Store Apricot Almond Truffles in the refrigerator.

WHITE CHOCOLATE FRUIT AND NUT TRUFFLES

Steps:

• In a small saucepan bring the dates, cranberries, orange juice, zest, ground spices and honey to a boil. Remove from heat, cover and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes.
• Finely chop the walnuts and combine with coconut. With damp hands combine the fruit puree with the processed nuts. Form mixture into 3/4 inch balls and place on parchment lined cookie sheet. Allow to cool completely.
• When the fruit balls are cooled, place 2/3 of the white baking chips into a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for 1 minute, stir and microwave at 30 second increments until melted when stirred. Stir in remaining chips and stir until melted and shiny.
• Dip the fruit and nut balls into the white baking chips and return to parchment lined cookie sheets. Allow to set. Should the melted chips cool during dipping, return to microwave for 20 to 30 seconds.
• When completely set, store covered for 3 to 4 days.
• Please note that standing time is not reflected in either the prep time or cooking time.

WHITE CHOCOLATE APRICOT AND COCONUT TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Mix apricots, coconut and condensed milk in a small bowl until well combined. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
• Using your hands, roll teaspoonfuls of the mixture into balls and place on a tray lined with baking paper. Refrigerate again for 15 minutes.
• Combine oil and chocolate in a small heatproof microwave container and microwave for 1 minute 30 seconds or until chocolate is melted. Stir well.
• Using a fork, dip one ball of the apricot mixture into the chocolate mixture to coat all over and place again on the lined tray.
• Repeat with remaining balls and chocolate mixture.
• Refrigerate for 15 minutes or until chocolate has set.

QUICK & EASY APRICOT AND NUT TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Combine Sweetened Condensed Milk and butter in a sauce pan, cook over low heat for 10 minutes or until the mixture is light golden in color. Remove from heat.
• Add nuts, dates, apricots and coconut to the cream mixture then mix thoroughly. Once the mixture cools, shape it into small equal size balls. Chill the balls in the freezer.
• Dip the chilled truffles in the melted chocolate and place them on a tray that is lined with waxed paper. Refrigerate the truffles until firm.
• Optional: Decorate with swirl patterns using melted white chocolate piped on with a fine nozzle or using a folded paper cone.
• Store the truffles in a plastic container in layers separated by wax paper in the refrigerator.

APRICOT ALMOND TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Toast almonds in a dry skillet over medium high heat for 5 minutes; set aside to cool.
• Process almonds in a food processor, pulsing until coarsely chopped; add apricots, honey, cinnamon, ginger, and salt processing until everything is finely chopped and sticks together, about 45 seconds.
• Using your hands roll mixture into round balls (about a heaping teaspoon each) and place on a baking sheet lined with waxed paper.
• Melt half the chocolate in a double boiler; stir in remaining chocolate, stirring to melt.
• Roll balls in chocolate to coat and place back on baking sheet.
• Refrigerate until set, about 15 minutes; store at room temperature.

WHITE CHOCOLATE APRICOT TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Place 2 tablespoons of the water and the brandy in a 1-quart saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir in the chopped apricots, cover the pan, remove from the heat, and let stand until the liquid is absorbed (about 30 minutes).
• Melt the butter in the top of a double boiler over hot, not simmering, water. Add 8 ounces of the chocolate and the remaining 2 tablespoons water, and stir frequently with a rubber spatula to ensure even melting. When the mixture is smooth, remove from the heat and transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat until fluffy and cooled to room temperature (about 3 minutes). Stir in the chopped apricots, cover, and refrigerate until firm but not stiff (3 to 4 hours).
• Line a baking sheet with parchment or waxed paper. With a spoon or small ice cream scoop, scoop out small mounds of the mixture. Dust your hands with confectioners' sugar and roll the mounds into 1-inch balls. These will be the truffle centers. Cover the truffle centers with plastic wrap and chill in the freezer for 2 hours or in the refrigerator for 6 hours.
• Remove the truffle centers from the freezer and bring to cool-room temperature so the outer coating won't crack when they are dipped. Line another baking sheet with parchment or waxed paper. Melt and temper the remaining 1 pound chocolate (see pages 25-30). Place a truffle center into the tempered chocolate, coating it completely. With a dipper or fork, remove the center from the chocolate, carefully shake off the excess chocolate, and turn the truffle out onto the paper. After dipping 4 truffles, place a sliver of dried apricot on top of each truffle before the chocolate sets up.
• Let the truffles set up at room temperature, or chill them in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes. When the truffles are set, place them in paper candy cups. In a tightly covered container wrapped in several layers of aluminum foil, the truffles will keep for 1 month in the refrigerator or 2 months in the freezer. The truffles are best served at room temperature.
• Instead of dipping the truffle centers in chocolate, roll them in finely chopped, toasted pistachio nuts as soon as they are formed into balls.
• White Chocolate Pear Truffles: Substitute dried pears and Poire Williams pear brandy for the apricots and apricot brandy.

MACADAMIA NUT TRUFFLES

Steps:

• In a saucepan, combine chocolate and cream and stir over low heat until combined.
• Remove from heat and stir in butter and brandy.
• Put in the fridge and let the chocolate mixture set until it's mouldable with your hands without being runny.
• Set aside 36 nut halves and roughly chop the remaining nuts.
• Mould about 2 teaspoons of chocolate around each nut half and then roll the ball in chopped nuts.
• Repeat until they are all done and chill.

CHOCOLATE NUT TRUFFLES

Steps:

• In the top of a double broiler, heat cream until it begins to simmer.
• Remove pan from heat and blend in sugar, chocolate, and butter until mixture is very smooth.
• Stir in nuts.
• Refrigerate mixture in pan and stir every ten minutes until mixture begins to thicken.
• When it just begins to thicken, stir mixture vigorously.
• Return to refrigerator until firm enough to form balls.
• Roll in powdered cocoa and store in refrigerator.