Cacao truffles with edible rose, orange and pistachio confetti

It’s often hard to stay focused during two hour biochemistry lectures first thing on a Monday morning and admittedly sometimes my mind starts to wander- that’s when I started to day dream about these chocolate truffles. We’ve all heard of the common phrase ‘don’t play with your food’, well I’m no Heston Blumenthal but that’s exactly what I like to do because when it comes to making healthy treats sometimes you have to be a little bit imaginative.

I’ve made traditional truffles before but this version doesn’t contain any refined sugars or double cream, also the orange zest, pistachios and roses give a natural pop of colour.

Ingredients

Truffle filling:

6 medjool dates

4 tbsp cacao powder

1 tbsp honey

100g melted cacao butter ( or 85% dark chocolate with only 3 tbsp cacao powder)

Coating:

85% dark chocolate

Confetti:

Crushed pistachios

Orange zest

Edible roses

Method :

Firstly melt the cacao butter or chocolate in a bain marie  then process all of the truffle ingredients in a blender or food processor.

Leave to set in the fridge for around half an hour. When you take it out it should be soft enough to handle but solid enough to hold its shape.

Take around the size of 2 heaped tea spoons of the truffle mixture and shape into balls with your hands.

Melt <85% dark chocolate in a bain marie then dip the truffles in one at a time making sure it is fully coated in chocolate.

Place the dipped truffles onto grease proof paper and sprinkle the tops with the ‘confetti’.

Finish with an edible rose.

Leave to fully set at room temperature.

Then give them to someone special!