First tutorial ever!

Just a quick one tonight as I'm miles behind studying for an exam next week, le sigh. Not even started back yet and I'm already behind, lets hope this isn't a trend I'm setting for the new year.

Besides reviews, another ongoing theme I want to start in 2011 is tutorials! I love tutorials on other people's blogs and thought it would be nice to share some of my own. Not that I make anything particularly difficult or complicated but sometimes it's nice to be told how to make a tote bag or resize a sweater rather than having to work it out for yourself. I'm going to have to come up with a cute name for these posts, Tutorial Tuesday for example? Although that doesn't work with reviews...any ideas?

Since tonight's post has to be quick and it's my first ever tutorial so I want to keep it simple, here's my tutorial for...*drum roll*...

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES!



Lets face it, January is a depressing month. It's dark and cold and damp, the excitement of Christmas and Hogmanay is over and you're penniless and done with holidays until Easter. I find the best solution to this problem is comfort food! Especially anything involving chocolate. Make yourself a batch of these, sit in front of the fire with a magazine (my choice would be Country Living) and a mug of tea (or large glass of wine) and savour the chocolatey yumminess.

Ingredients for the truffle base:

♥ 400g of good quality chocolate
♥ large carton of double cream

Possible ingredients for decorating:

It's entirely up to you!

♥ 200g chocolate
♥ chocolate powder
♥ chopped nuts
♥ icing sugar

Instructions:

1. Pour the double cream into a pan and heat over a medium flame until just before boiling. You don't want it to boil so be sure to keep an eye on it!

2. While the cream is heating, chop or break the chocolate into small pieces, as small as you can make them.

3. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate pieces and stir until all the chocolate is melted. The smaller the pieces, the easier this stage will be.

4. When thoroughly mixed in, pop the bowl in the fridge until set, overnight is best.

5. When set, take the chocolately mess out of the fridge and, using a spoon dipped in boiled hot water, take spoonfuls of the mixture and roll into balls between your hands. You'll get messy but then you can lick it off your fingers later.

6. Once you've formed a ball, cover it in the coating of your choice. You can roll them in chocolate powder or icing sugar or chopped nuts. I personally like to make all my balls, then cover them in melted chocolate. Wait for the chocolate to go solid then eat, the hard chocolate breaks to reveal the smooth creamy centre - yum!

If you go down the melted chocolate route, they can be stored in a jar with a pretty ribbon and given as presents, assuming you don't eat them all yourself of course!

If you make any, be sure to post photos on the Second Fiddle facebook page!