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Spicy Dark Chocolate Pistachio Truffles

December 14, 2013 By Talya Tate Boerner 11 Comments

spicy dark chocolate pistachio truffles - SIMPLE RECIPE!
All my childhood hours spent perfecting mud-pies and Easy Bake Oven cakes successfully culminated yesterday during a wonderful afternoon spent making spicy dark chocolate truffles.
No kidding.
This recipe is easy and fun, although a bit messy, much like mud-pie-making.
I love the salty-sweet combination of pistachios and dark chocolate. Add a bit of cayenne and wow! These candies will be a big hit at your holiday party. Trust me.
Ingredients – (makes 30-36 pieces)
12 oz. dark chocolate
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 tsp. cayenne
3/4 cup pistachios
Method
Melt chocolate in a double boiler. Let cool to near room temperature.
spicy dark chocolate pistachio truffles
Use a high quality chocolate. I used a Whole Foods organic brand 67% cacao…
Whip up cream cheese to make it extra fluffy.
how to make truffles
Add chocolate and cayenne to cream cheese and mix until smooth. The truffle batter will be thick thick thick. Like mud. Only much yummier.
Spread into containers and place in refrigerator for an hour to set. (I doubled the recipe and made one batch with cayenne and one batch without…)
how to make truffles - easy!
Chop the pistachios. An easy way to do this is using a plastic baggy and rolling pin.
simple way to chop nuts!
Scoop batter with a spoon, shape into balls and roll in pistachios. So delicious and festive!
spicy dark chocolate pistachio truffles - so easy to make!
For my non-spicy recipe, I rolled the balls in a combination of powdered sugar and cocoa.
dark chocolate truffle recipe - you won't believe how simple!
talya
Grace Grits and Gardening
Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

Musical Pairing:

Chocolat

Chocolate Covered Cherry Christmas Mice

December 6, 2013 By Talya Tate Boerner 17 Comments

chocolate covered cherry Christmas mice - Fun to make and eat!
I’ve been making these chocolate covered cherry Christmas mice several years now. They are fun to make and always a big hit at every holiday gathering.

 

Ingredients (makes 18-24)

8 oz Melting Chocolate (I used Ghirardelli semi-sweet)
1 medium jar Maraschino Cherries with stems
Mini Chocolate Chips
Hershey’s Kisses
Wax Paper
Red Gel Icing

chocolate covered cherry christmas mice - ingredients

Method

Melt chocolate in microwave or in double boiler.

how to make chocolate covered cherry christmas mice

Dip cherry in melted chocolate and press against the bottom of a Hershey’s kiss. The melted hot chocolate will stick to the kiss.
Place on wax paper. While still hot, add two mini chocolate chips on the seam between the kiss and cherry, pressing the chips into the melted chocolate. These are the mice ears.

chocolate covered cherry chocolate mice - drying

Let dry on wax paper. (Yes, I used parchment paper coated in Pam because I was out of wax paper…)

Add a tiny dab of red gel icing to the tip of the kiss for the mouse nose.

chocolate covered cherry christmas mice - cute red noses!

You can trim the “tails”. Or not.

Store in an airtight container or in the refrigerator.

chocolate covered cherry christmas mice - adorable!

Aren’t they adorable?!

Grace Grits and Gardening
Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

…”Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.” – Twas the Night Before Christmas

Which Came First—the Egg or the Egg Dish?

November 28, 2013 By Talya Tate Boerner 12 Comments

Turquoise Fiestaware. LOVE.
Which came first, the deviled egg or the egg dish? Since necessity is the mother of invention, I suppose the deviled egg. But the dish must have quickly followed. How else how did folks tote around deviled eggs to church picnics and holiday spreads?
I am obsessed with egg dishes. Never can I pass one up at an estate sale. Each is different, unique in its own way. Most of mine are handed down from family members, but I have a few newish ones like my fun Fiesta dish (thanks Marcia!) and my white plastic Crate & Barrel dish which is more practical poolside and at Munger Place porch parties.
Egg dishes make me as happy as the deviled eggs themselves.
A few of my favorites…
This one was my mother-in-law’s.
I bought this one at Wildwood Antiques in Etowah, Arkansas.

I love the gold rim around this antique one.

So, I’m wondering…

a) Are deviled eggs part of your Thanksgiving meal?

b) Do you have a deviled egg platter? New or vintage? More than one?

c) Do you have a special deviled egg recipe?

My recipe? I’m a purist when it comes to deviled eggs. I never stray from the basic ingredients of Hellman’s mayonnaise (must be real mayo), yellow French’s mustard, egg yolks and sea salt. I top with paprika and sometimes fresh thyme. That’s it.

What about you?

Happy Thanksgiving!

talya

Grace Grits and Gardening
Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

Musical Pairing:

Mother of Invention, The Trishas

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Talya Tate Boerner


Hi! I'm Talya. Writer, Reader, Arkansas Master Naturalist / Master Gardener, Baylor graduate. Author of

THE ACCIDENTAL SALVATION OF GRACIE LEE (2016)

GENE, EVERYWHERE: a life-changing visit from my father-in-law (2020)

BERNICE RUNS AWAY (Oct '22)

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