As chocolate desserts are always a firm favourite on my menus, I decided to share one my favourite chocolate recipes - dark chocolate, baileys and ginger truffles.  These indulgent delights make a perfect after dinner treat.

Often, quality wins out over quantity.  This recipes contains few ingredients but it is worthwhile choosing carefully when it comes to the chocolate and whisky.  For a dish where chocolate is centre stage it is always worth investing in good quality with at least 70% cocoa. A weaker chocolate would simply be lost having to compete with the strong flavours of ginger and cinnamon.      

When it comes to working with chocolate there is one main factor to watch out for…heat.  Think back to childhood days, when chocolates that you were saving for later would melt in your pocket.  That is all the heat that it needs to melt.  High heat will cause the chocolate to seize, split and go grainy and therefore a bain marie or water bath is your best friend in this recipe.  Simply set a bowl containing the chocolate over a pan of gently simmering water and check that the base of the bowl is not actually touching the water.   

These truffles make a wonderful gift for any festive event.  The addition of cinnamon and ginger gives them that spiced seasonal quality.  They look wonderful packaged up in little jars and you will be everyone's favourite guest if you arrive with these in hand!

For the truffles:

Ingredients

675g dark chocolate (70% cocoa minimum)

320g unsalted butter

½ tsp cinnamon

250ml double cream, warmed

75ml of Baileys or other cream liqueur

2 tbsp candied ginger, finely diced

Method

1 Melt the chocolate, butter and cinnamon over a bain marie until the three ingredients melt together and remove from the heat

2 Mix the warm double cream with the BaileyAdd both mixes together and stir until combined

3 Stir in the ginger

4 Chill for 1 hour in the fridge until the mix becomes set

5 Roll the set mixture into rough truffle shapes with your hands

6 Return to the fridge to chill 

To coat the truffles:

Ingredients

150g white chocolate

20g cocoa powder

Method

1 Melt the white chocolate over a bain marie

2 Spread a little on the palm of your hand and roughly roll a truffle in it and place on a tray

3 Continue until all of the truffles are coated

4 Dust each truffle with a little cocoa powder

5 Set back in the fridge until ready to serve

Please note these are meant to look rustic so don't try and be too pretty with them, after all they are meant to look like a 'truffle'.  And be warned - they are very addictive!