Soft Fruit Truffles

I found this recipe over on a wonderful blog, called Cherrapeno, and I believe the writer there got the recipe from Epicurious. The usual recipe calls for raspberries, but I find it works just as well with cherries, blueberries, wild strawberries or any other similar-sized fruit. Vary the colour of chocolate and the liquor used according to the fruit. For example; for blueberries, only white chocolate will do, and I'd be tempted to add finely grated lemon peel. Cherries are delicious in any chocolate, and work well with brandy, kirsch, amaretto and a host of other boozy flavours! If fruit is not in season, this would work well with candied ginger, small pieces of fudge or toffee, or any other sweet treat you would like to encase in chocolate! Prep and cooking time does not include time that the food spends chilling i the fridge.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 4-5
• Yields: 35 truffles

Ingredients

• 7  ounces  high-quality chocolate
• 1⁄4 cup  thick  double cream
• 1 -2  tablespoon  of your chosen  liquor
• 6  ounces  fresh small soft  fruit
• 1⁄2 cup  dark cocoa or 1⁄2 cup  a similar quantity melting chocolate, for coating the truffle
•  edible glitter, to decorate

Directions

1. Fill a small pan with water and bring to the boil. Break chocolate up into pieces and place in a heat-proof bowl. Place this bowl on top of the pan of water, leaving a small space for heat to escape.
2. Allow the chocolate to melt, gradually adding cream and gently stirring the mixture to prevent it sticking or congealing.
3. Once chocolate and cream are combined, stir in your liquor of choice and, if adding extras such as lemon peel, add this as well.
4. Wash and trim the soft fruits, drop them a few at a time into the chocolate and coat by turning gently with a fork. Lift fruits out of the mixture and place on greaseproof paper, until all are coated and chill for one hour. If you have chocolate left over, it may be worth giving the fruit a second coating.
5. If using cocoa powder to decorate, place the powder in a small plastic bag. Drop truffles in a few at a time, seal and shake to coat. If you prefer a coating of hard chocolate, melt the chocolate as previously. Pick truffles up by piercing with a fork and dip quickly into the chocolate to coat. This mixture will congeal rapidly, so take care.
6. Once set and chilled to your satisfaction, dust lightly with edible glitter. Perhaps, decorate as well using small leaves and stems appropriate to the fruit.