Special Chocolate Truffles

This past weekend Sean and Melissa came to visit. Melissa loves to cook and try new recipes, and it just so happens that I like to try new things also. So we worked together on making these Mayan Chocolate Truffles from Nourished Kitchen. Some of the ingredients were a little pricey, so I won't be making this too often, but it sure was fun to try.

Cast of Characters pictured above (the cinnamon is missing from the picture) - we weren't able to get everything from the local health food store, and I of course used some ingredients that I had on hand. I have never used whole Vanilla beans before, and was thinking they would have a bean inside the pod- like a green bean does. Needless to say I was mistaken. For the complete recipe, please see the link above from Nourished kitchen.

I had to go and buy myself a zester for the orange peel in the recipe. I had tried useing the zester part of a grater before without much luck, but the zester I used for this recipe was a breeze, it was so quick and easy, and I had a nice pile of zest when I was done (pictured above with the vanilla bean).

This is what it looked like after stirring in and melting the chocolate, not very pretty :(.

After it has chilled, you cut it into chunks and roll it in cocoa. It looks a little better that way, don't you think?

The recipe called for at least 85% chocolate. The only chocolate that we could find in the health food store was candy bars, and I was pretty sure that we weren't supposed to use that. We ended up useing Ghirardelli 100% caacao unsweetened chocolate baking bars. Did anyone notice in the picture of the ingredients that the sugar was missing? That is because there was no sugar listed in the ingredients. Jenny from Nourished Kitchen says that "You won't miss that sugar one bit." Perhaps if I had been able to find and use chocolate with 85% cocoa content, I might not have missed it. I taste tested the "batter" before we rolled it in a log to refridgerate it.....all I have to say is BLECK, UGH, YUCK!! Needless to say, we added some sugar, about 1/4 cup, to make it somewhat palatable (and yes it was organic evaporated cane juice sugar). The finished product still was not anywhere near as sweet as a candy bar, but that is OK. The lack of sugar allowed us to taste and enjoy all the other flavors that were having a party in our mouths. The first taste that you get is chocolate (of course) and orange. After the second bite, I tasted the mild bite of the Chipotle Chili and cinnamon-it was quite a taste experience. Melissa didn't care for the finished product, but Sean and George ate it up!

Baby Hat #1 - the yarn used is Be Sweet Bambino Taffy in Spearmint Gum, #883. The pattern used was on the label.Baby Hat #2 - Knit with Be Sweet Bambino Taffy in #881 Salt Water Taffy. The pattern was a free pattern from the shop where I bought the yarn.
Baby Hat #3 - Knit with Be Sweet Bambino Taffy - #886 French Revolution. The pattern is the same as the one used for #2.
Baby Hat #4 - Knit with Baby Jacquards Floral by Bernat. The pattern is the baby ruffle hat on their site.

I am also knitting the baby surprise jacket for the first time. I ran out of yarn with just 2 rows to go. When it is finished, I will post pictures.