38. CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

Originated in France, chocolate truffle is a type of chocolate confectionery traditionally made with a chocolate ganache center coated in chocolate, icing sugar, cocoa powder or chopped toasted nuts. Other fillings may replace the ganache: cream, melted chocolate, caramel, nuts, almonds, berries, or other assorted sweet fruits, nougat, fudge, or toffee, mint, chocolate chips, marshmallow, and, popularly, liqueur. Try the recipe below if you want to taste this sweet truffles ;)

PUZZLE PIECES: 104

TIME: 11mins 6secs

Basic truffle ingredients

• 8 ounces of semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate (high quality, 62% cacao or higher), well chopped into small pieces
• 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Optional base flavorings:

• Mint leaves (1 bunch, stems removed, chopped, about 1 cup)
• Cinnamon and cardamon (1 cinnamon stick, 2 cardamom pods)
• Amaretto (1-2 tablespoons)
• Almond extract (1 teaspoon)

Truffle coatings

• Cocoa powder
• Finely chopped walnuts
• Finely chopped almonds

Method
1 In a small, heavy saucepan bring the heavy whipping cream to a simmer (this may take a while, be sure to stir and scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula every few minutes).

If you are using one of the other recommended flavorings, stir it in with the cream (and ignore vanilla in the next step). If adding mint or other solids, after the cream simmers, remove from heat and let seep for an hour. Then strain away solids, and return the cream to a simmer and proceed with recipe.

2 Place the chocolate in a separate bowl. Pour the cream over the chocolate, add the vanilla, and allow to stand for a few minutes then stir until smooth. (This chocolate base is called ganache.)

3 Allow to cool, then place in the refrigerator for two hours. Remove and with a teaspoon roll out balls of the ganache. Roll in your hands quickly (as it will melt from the heat of your hands) and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place in the refrigerator overnight.

4 Roll in cocoa powder or chopped nuts and serve, or place back in the refrigerator until needed.

makes 30-40 pieces of truffles, depending on the size you want ;)

2. BANANA SPLIT

A banana split is an ice cream based dessert usually served in a long dish called a boat. The name of this dessert was applied by cutting the banana lengthwise ( split ) then fill the middle ice cream flavors topped with marsmallows, nuts, cherries etc. 

 Puzzle Pieces: 208

Time: 33mins 30secs

BANANA SPLIT RECIPE
Ingredients:

1/2 cup scoop vanilla ice cream
1/2 cup scoop chocolate ice cream
1/2 cup scoop strawberry ice cream
1 large ripe banana
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup (or Hot Fudge)
2 tablespoons strawberry ice cream topping (or fresh strawberries)
2 tablespoons crushed pineapple
2 tablespoons wet walnut ice cream topping
whipped cream
cherries

Procedures:

1. Line up ice cream scoops next to each other in an oval deep dish or a banana boat.
2. Cut the ends of the banana off (about 1/4 inch) while still in the peel.
3. Slice in half longways.
4. Pop each half of the banana out of the peel onto each side of the ice cream row, pressing down and in a little so it'll stay put.
5. Top the vanilla ice cream with the pineapple, the chocolate with the chocolate syrup and the strawberry with the strawberry sauce.
6. Spoon the wet walnuts over all three scoops of ice cream.
7. Top each scoop with some whipped cream and a cherry for each. Enjoy! :)