A Partridge in a Chocolate Truffle Tree!

French Tart's Note:

This is such a wonderful way of serving your chocolate truffles at Christmas or New Year - or indeed any special winter festival! I do make my own truffles for this, but you can buy ready-made truffles for ease and speed of course! I love to see my family and friend's faces when I bring the coffee and "chocolates" out with this Truffle Tree! Allow yourself plenty of time to assemble this, the plant pot and the tree "trunk" can be prepared beforehand; once the chocolate truffle tree has been assembled, it will be fine for up to 2 days before you need to serve it, stored in a very cool and dry place - NOT a fridge however. I have made this with a well-known gold wrapped chocolate nut truffle before, as well as the white chocolate and coconut version by the same company! The truffles shown in my photos are local hand-made truffles, but any "firm" high chocolate truffle is fine. I have my own truffle recipe posted on zaar, A Symphony of French Chocolate Truffles which also works very well with this tree! Have fun - and just watch your guest's faces when you bring this out!! NB: You can also make this with marshmallows and other suitable sweets or candy, especially for children.

• Total Time: 5 hrs
• Prep Time: 4 hrs
• Cook Time: 1 hrs

Ingredients:

Serves: 12-18

Yield: 1.0 Chocola ...

• 1 kg good qualitychocolate truffles or 1 kg marshmallow

For the Tree

• 1 (15 inch) foam balls
• 1 (10 -12 inch) length wood branches
• 15 -20 small white foam balls
• 1 plant pot
• florist's foam
• aluminum foil
• length ribbon
• cocktail stick

Directions:

1. Spray the "trunk" of the tree with a colour of your choice such as gold or silver.
2. Spray the plant pot the same colour, allow them to dry for at least 4 hours.
3. Cover the foam ball with aluminium foil and wrap securely around, taping if necessary.
4. Place some pebbles in the bottom of the plant pot and then push the florist's foam in, on top of the pebbles - wedging it in so that it is firm.
5. Stick the "trunk" into the foil-covered ball - firmly - then push the other end of the "trunk" into the florist's foam in the prepared plant pot. Make sure it is firm and does not rock, add some more pebbles.
6. Tie a ribbon around the top of the "trunk" at the base of the foil-covered ball - then tie a large bow.
7. Take a cocktail stick and push it into your truffle, (or other sweets/candy) then push the other end into the foam ball making sure it is securely positioned.
8. Do this for all the chocolate truffles until the "tree" is full.
9. Add some white foam packing balls around the top of the plant pot to resemble snow - brush off any loose cocoa and serve with coffee!
10. Don't forget to pin your Partridge nearby! My Partridge is a glass bird, that was a gift from JoyfulCook!

Reviews

[Karen's Krazy Kitchen]

If I could give this 10 stars, I would. The instuctions are perfect and make it very easy to put together. The finished product is brilliant! I did an assortment of truffles with a big red and green holiday bow and it is an amazingly festive centerpiece. Be prepared to become a truffle factory because people are inhaling them off the tree. French Tart - Thank you so much for posting this creative design and for your help during the project. Happy Holidays!